The Viewing Room
by AuraBlackWolf
Summary: Doctors and Companions are taken from their respected timelines, most of them are from moments before a critical turning event. Now faced with their past and future they are shown just who they were, are and will become.
1. Chapter 1

The Doctor swore silently as the cords she was repairing let out sparks, burning her fingertips and causing an unpleasant tingling that she quickly shook out.

"Well that wasn't very nice of ya, here I am slaving away on your parts and your having a hissy fit."

"Um Doctor, maybe rethink how you wanna phrase that."

Yaz laughed nearby as Ryan and Graham snickered in unison.

The Doctor pouted as a blush crept onto her cheeks after a moment's thought over why they were laughing at her. You'd think that humans would stop thinking that every little word was an obscene punchline.

"Well you certainly didn't have to take my words as dirty, now did you Yaz?"

Before anyone else could do or say anything, a wave of dizziness hit them all at the same time. The Doctor didn't have any time to call out to her Fam before she blacked out.

Waking up was an experience. Pounding heads and aching limbs with a terrible aftertaste in the back of everyone's throat.

It was not unlike having a very bad hangover after a long night of partying like it was the last day of someone's life.

The Doctor opened her eyes and squinted at the blinding lights that seemed to be coming from all sides. Quickly sitting up she groaned while massaging her aching head. Taking a quick look around she was relieved to see her Fam laying next to her, at the moment they were still unconscious but seem to be waking up if the groaning and moaning was any indication.

Her eyebrows went even higher on her face as she took notice of the other people laying around the room in different degrees of consciousness.

"Well that's not good."

The 13th Doctor, as she decided to call herself to avoid confusion, got up to her feet to inspect the room while keeping an eye on the others to see what they would do. She wasn't sure how she wanted to play this out, clearly a lot of paradoxes were being committed right now, not to mention people who should be dead were clearly not, so that meant someone had pulled them all out of alignment from the timestream. As far as she knew she was the most current Doctor in the room judging by appearances so the question she had to ask herself was if she was going to take charge or wait it out to see what happens?

The 12th Doctor looked like he'd just come from the battlefield, his coat was torn to shreds and he looked worn and tired, not to mention that there were a few injuries on him, but nothing too life threatening at first glance. One glance at his eyes though and 13 knew just where he'd come from. He must have just come from colony ship, a while before regenerating into the current her. All in all a very bad time for them, he was hurting something fierce and currently there was only one person who could fix that up for them.

13 turned a small yet sad smile at that very person just as her 12th self took notice of that person.

"Bill!" 12 sprinted to the other side of the room where Bill Potts was slowly standing up, clearly disoriented.

"Doctor? Where are we?" Bill asked, confusion clear on her face as she stared at her own Doctor.

"Where's Nardole? Don't tell me the Monks got to him."

Bill tried to look around but was stopped by 12 squeezing her shoulders with trembling hands as he stared at his favorite student who in his eyes had just suffered a terrible and cruel fate, done in by his oldest and worst best friend turned enemy.

"Bill what's the last thing you remember?"

"What do you mean? We just defeated the Monks, they left earth right? We won?"

12 sighed as he looked down then turning his gaze to the others in the room who were all mostly awake now.

"It looks like our timelines aren't synced up. We defeated the Monks months ago in my timeline. I'm from your future."

"Well I remember the Monks. Now what have you gotten us into this time, sir?"

12 turned around and spotted Nardole leaning against a wall, staring at them with narrowed eyes and a frown that 12 didn't realized he'd missed until it was gone from his sight.

"Oh it looks like you're here too then."

Nardole rolled his eyes at the Doctor's flippen attitude.

"I still have permission to kick your ass whenever I please. So please do keep talking sir."

Bill exclaimed in happiness and went over to stand near her friend as 12 moved towards another person standing nearby, watching them with an expression of great melancholy.

"Clara?"

"Hello Doctor. Do you remember me?"

"Yes." 12 breathed shakily as he slowly reached out but couldn't quite gather the courage to touch. "Are you-?"

"Still dead. Between heartbeats." Clara clarified before hugging the stiff man. "It's good to see you."

13 watched the scene with a shine of tears in her eyes as she reassured her Fam that no one in the room with them would harm them.

"Clara?"

Another voice asked out loud, his voice was shaky and just as tired sounding as 12.

Turning their attention to another man who was standing further away, his gaze staring at his impossible girl with teary eyes.

"Oh Doctor, what have you done now?" Clara breathed out before letting go of 12 with one final squeeze and making her way to her other Doctor, number 11 and hugging the hell out of that one as well.

"Oi who are you and why are you hugging the Doctor for?"

11 turned his gaze away and gasped happily as more familiar faces presented themselves.

"Amy! Rory!"

Clara let go and watched 11 engage in a tight threeway hug with his long lost friends.

"Hello raggedy man."

River was also standing nearby and smiled as her family reunited, while giving 12 a wink and blowing a kiss at the now smirking man.

10 stood nearby and watched all these runions with a stunned and confused expression, he turned his attention to the room and noticed that there was only one door and no other visible exits. Looking back at the others he shrugged before walking through the door. He didn't have anything to lose as he didn't seem to have any of his own companions in this room, unlike the other versions of themselves. He could feel their mental echoes in his head and he was looking forward to getting further away from them.

It hurt, everything did right now. Not only his body which looked just as bad as the grey-haired version of himself but his mental state wasn't doing so well either. He'd lost the Master after they'd managed to close the link to the Time Lords and Gallifrey, he didn't even want to consider what could be happening to his once-friend who was now stuck on the other side of the Time Lock with a crazy Rassilon.

He'd just dropped off Wilfred back to Donna and Syliva. He hadn't even had time to clean himself up before losing consciousness and ending up here. Glancing at his hand he could feel his regeneration energy right below the skin, it was holding itself back, something he didn't think would be possible for long.

He didn't want to go, it didn't matter about those other versions of them, he could do so much more if given time.

Sighing loudly, he looked up from his hands and gaped with complete disbelief.

"Hello Space-man." Donna Noble smiled back at him from her seat on a sofa. Sitting with her were Marth Jones, Jack Harkness and…

"Rose." 10 chocked out before beginning to cry.

"Oh no, oh Doctor."

Rose Tyler got up and with a gentle grip she hugged him close, letting him cry on her shoulder as everything began to become too much for him.

"It's okay, everything's going to be okay." She softly shushed him as he continued to cry in her arms.

The others watched the two with tears in their own eyes, devastated over the Doctor's emotional state.

It was clear he wasn't doing well at all.

"We've been here for a while now, woke up with headaches and mismatched information, that door you just came in from wasn't there a few minutes ago."

Jack supplied after they all migrated to a nearby couch, the Doctor was being cuddled from all sides as Rose sat on his lap and petted his hair, trying to calm her Doctor down from the exhausting mental breakdown he seemed to be having.

Jack leaned forward and whispered in the Doctor's ear, making sure that Rose was being distracted by Martha.

"Rose is from an earlier timeline then us, me and Martha tried to keep it all spoiler free as we compared adventures but judging how you look at us I'm going to take a guess and say your from our future."

10 turned his gaze back up to Rose as she smiled sadly down at him, she was hurting fiercely right now, not only from seeing the Doctor in such a state but because she'd just got separated from him not so long ago from her point of view.

"I'm from Bad Wolf Bay, from my point we'd just defeated the Cybermen and I was stuck on in the parallel world with mum. Martha says this isn't the last time you all will see me though so there's that." She said with a wink, her eyes still glazed with tears that she kept herself from shedding.

10 giggled wetly, his tears slowing down but not stopping completely as he gazed at his other dear companions. All who had been lost to him, ones that moved on or were taken from him by other unforeseen circumstances.

Marth spoke up then, her own eyes were teary as well although she'd already said her goodbyes to the Doctor and moved on, as much as anyone could after meeting the Doctor.

"We've just brought the Earth back into alignment and left the Tardis after saving it from Davors, Mickey was with us but I don't see him around so I don't think he was taken like me and you-know-who."

She gestured to Jack while Rose was too busy petting his hair to notice.

It took the Doctor a second to realize why, if Rose had come from Bad Wolf Bay that meant that she didn't know that Jack was immortal, she wouldn't have seen him die and come back to life since that hadn't yet happened in her timestream.

She didn't know that she'd cursed him to live forever when she'd had the Time Vortex swimming in her veins. Something told him though that she'd be finding out soon, Jack had changed greatly from that man that Rose had known all those years ago, she'd learn the truth and 10's hearts burned at the thought of the pain that she'd feel over learning what had happened, the last time in his perspective timeline when she found out after seeing Jack die things had been happening too fast for her to process what Jack being immortal would entail, now if she was given the time to process the Doctor was worried how she'd take it.

"I don't remember any of that so it must not have happened yet for me." Donna added, her worried eyes gazing at her spaceman. She'd just come from a Doctor who was suffering just as much as the one in front of her and she was worried about him, it didn't matter if this was the same Doctor tecnically, it could be a future or past version for all she knew but what she did know was that she'd left her Doctor behind, which meant the one she left back on Midnight was all alone and she was worried he'd do something stupid after what had happened to him.

"We've just left Midnight, terrible place Doctor, negative zero out of a thousand. Would never visit again."

She spoke softly and squeezed his hands as she remembered how terrible he'd looked after that train ride, he needed her right now and she was here sitting on a sofa with a bunch of people she didn't rightly know.

He had the same look in his eyes, that of a terrible sadness and not a little bit of internal rage that was just begging to be unleashed.

Before anything else could be said the door opened with a forced crack.

"Oh hello, so this is where you popped off too." 11 said before calling out behind him that it was safe to come inside.

The room was big, although it was hard to tell dimensions since the floors and walls were all the same white color. There were four huge sofas squeezed beside each other, all facing one of the walls.

Everyone from the previous room came inside and made their own way to a sofa. Keeping in their own little groups and watching the others with wary eyes.

No one spoke as everyone gathered together.

"Well I'm sure this is a surprise for everyone here, some of us know of each other while others don't."

River spoke, trying to break up the tension that was building as they all stared at each other. Most of them with suspicion since they didn't know each other but the Doctors were all staring at previous companions with sadness and longing in their eyes.

"Not as much as you'd think." Clara rolled her eyes as she remembered when there had been three Doctors gathered together.

"How about introductions then? So we can all get up to speed on each other's name and go from there, since it's clear we are all from different timelines, past, present and possibly future."

River couldn't help but glance at 13 and her Fam, not recognizing them at all, she had ledgers of all the Doctors past regenerations and she'd spent a wonderful 24 years with number 12, but that group she had no papers on, the companions or the Doctor.

She was also staring at Nardole and Bill, recognizing one as someone under her employment but not recognizing the other one who was hiding behind 12 as she watched everyone around her with wide, curious eyes.

They all looked at each other as silence filled the room.

"Well I'll go first then since it seems no one else will. My name is Graham O'Brian. I'm a retired bus driver and a friend of the Doctor's."

13 smiled at her friends as they spoke first. They were such exceptional people, it may be because while suffering tragedy they haven't had it ruin them like so many people the Doctor has meet over time.

"My name is Yasmin Khan, Yaz to my friends. I travel with the Doctor with these two chuckleheads."

"I'm Ryan Sinclair. Graham's my Grandad and Yaz is a childhood friend, I think we're all from the same timeline and everything, oh also we're officially called Team Tardis."

"I'm sorry team what?" 12 interrupted, disbelief clear on his face at the silly title.

Bill reached over and lightly smacked him.

"Ow, rude."

"No that's you Doctor, now serious question. Where's your flash cards?" Clara asked, bemused as she and Bill shared a look of commrodration.

12 mouthed the words, team Tardis to 10 and 11 who were watching them all with misty eyes, still not getting over seeing people they had once lost.

"Who's your Doctor then?" Martha asked, looking at 10 who shook his head before pointing to 11 who also shook his head no.

"Well it's not me." 12 huffed loudly, annoyed with the name. "Team Tardis...seriously."

All at once the three companions pointed to a nervous but smiling 13.

"Ah hello then. I'm the Doctor. You can call me 13 if you'd like to avoid confusion though."

For once 13 was speechless as she watched the various reactions to her introduction.

"Oh, but that's brilliant!" 10 excliamed and smiled widely at his future self who'd regenerated into a female incarnate.

"Blimey." 11 spoke as he too started to grin widely. "Still not ginger though."

"Shame that." 10 nodded, still not being ginger was just sad at this stage of his life.

"Still, female. Nice. Always wanted to try that."

"It's wonderful. Although there had been a few issues I've taken note of." 13 smirked before frowning as she remembered how the psyche paper called her an assistant instead of a general.

"What issues could that be?" 12 asked, confused and frowny.

"Sexism in human history."

All the Doctors and females in the room all 'Ahh-ed' together and nodded in understanding. It was entertaining to see all the male companions reactions to the appearance of a female Doctor, both River and Jack were leering with overexerting faces.

"Well then I'm next I think, name's Bill Potts. I'm a lunch lady and student of this Doctor right here." Bill reached over and pointed to 12 who went crossed eyed for a moment staring at her finger in his face. "The last thing I remember was defeating the Monks with the Doctor and Nardole."

"I'm Nardole, his keeper and watcher. I have full permission to kick his ass when he'd being stupid. Same timeline as Bill I suppose."

"And who gave you that permission?" Rose asked crossly as she glared at the bald headed man.

"His wife." He pointed to River Song and enjoyed the gasps and confusion that his comment caused.

"Well I guess I'll go next then since Nardole has so kindly started my introduction without me." River said sweetly but Nardole's smile fell from his face at her tone. 12 and 11 both winched in sync. They knew that tone, it was not a good tone, they almost felt sorry for the cyborg.

"My name is River Song, Professor. I'm a bit complicated to explain without back history but I'm mostly in these two's timeline." She points to 11 and 12 respectively. "I'm the Doctor's wife."

"How does that work?" Donna asked, as she witnessed the jealousy in Rose's eyes light up as she hugged tightly to 10, who couldn't help but winch at the pain coming from his cracked ribs.

"Spoilers I'm afraid. Can't mess with the timeline unless I know it won't permanently mess with the timeline. I've just left the Singing Towers of Darilllium after spending 24 wonderful years with the Doctor."

10's gaze turned tragic as he gazed at the woman who he would one day marry and tell his name too. He remembered how she had said she'd just left the Towers before coming to the library. It meant that her future was soon coming to a close.

"She is also our daughter." Amy spoke up, she wanted to back up her daughter as the others were staring at River with disbelief, like they couldn't believe her claims despite the Doctor not protesting it.

Rory sighed at his wife's words before speaking up himself.

"Hello, we're with the chinny Doctor over here, name's Rory Williams and this is my wife Amy Williams."

"Ponds." 11 interrupted. "Their last name is Pond, also chinny?"

"No it really isn't." Rory said tiredly. "And yes Doctor you have a bit of a chin."

"It really is." Both Amy and 11 spoke at the same time and high fived, as 11 rubbed his chin with a disgruntled face.

"We were just in Manhattan, Doctor." Rory spoke gently and watched as his wife hugged their sudden subdued Doctor, sadness gathered in his own heart as their Doctor hugged tightly back. He knew it must have been hard on the Doctor to have lost them, he just hoped that the Doctor found his next companions quickly after and didn't mop for who knows how long.

"How can River be your daughter? Are you alien too?" Donna couldn't help but ask. She wanted to tease the Doctor so much about marrying the daughter of a pair of companions but she remembered River from the library and how brave and wonderful she'd been. Still was. Will be.

Blimey things got weird very quickly with this lot.

"No, we're human, it's just a complicated time-space thingy." Rory answered.

"I'm Clara Oswald, school teacher. I've traveled with the Doctor for a good long while, both these two actually." Clara pointed out 11 and 12 and smiled at them while they both just gazed at her silently.

"Oh? Why'd you stopped?" Donna asked, it was clear in the silence it was a sensitive question and she regretted it the moment it came out.

"I died."

Loud exclamations and questions filled the air before 12 whistled shrilly, shutting everyone up.

"No questions." He ordered sternly. "She's here now so let's just move on so we can find a way out of this room. All of us being here is a paradox on a scale of universe exploding and I should know since that's happened before. So I'd like to know where my Tardis is if you don't mind."

"Wait what do you mean universe exploding?" Jack question but was basically ignored as the other Doctors started to worry over their own Tardis now that it's been brought up.

"I'm the Doctor as well, you can call me 12."

"Or Doctor Disco." Clara teased and laughed as 12 scowled at her.

"Did you really call yourself Doctor Disco?" Martha joined in on the laughter as the Doctors pouted in unison.

"Well you can call me 11." 11 said dramatically and straightened his bow-tie.

"Or chinny."

"Oi! Serious stop it with the chin. It's enough to give me a complex. Besides nothing was worse than the big floppy ears of my 9th life."

"I liked the ears." Rose confessed and blushed as 10 grinned at her widely and Jack nodded alongside them. The 9th incarnation of the Doctor is the one they both had fallen in love with in the first place. Although it was 10 who they both stayed in love with in both their hearts.

"Well I guess it's our turn. I'm 10, also known as pretty boy." 10 winked at River, who while confused at was clearly an inside joke couldn't help but smile at the earlier version of her husband. She noticed that Rose looked insecure whenever 10 looked away but she wouldn't blame her for her needy attitude. Rose Tyler had been someone special in the Doctor's heart and River knew her husband's heart was as large as the inside of the Tardis. Enough for all of them, so she didn't begrudge others loving the Doctor.

If she did then she'd be against the whole universe and that wasn't something River was prepared to do, or even have the mental strength for. She loved the Doctor for who he was and would become and who he had been.

River blinked at how deeply her thoughts were trailing and sighed softly, being around the Doctor tend to do that to her and with how many versions of her spouse were around her she had the thought that she'd be having some very in depth reflections.

Rose Tyler was young and she had yet to realize this about the Doctor but if she had any hope of keeping herself in the Time Lord's heart it was a lesson she'd have to learn sooner rather than later.

Jealousy isn't a nice emotion and it can alienate those around you, especially the one who you are jealous over in the first place.

"Donna Noble, best temp in Chiswick. I was last on a planet called Midnight with the Doctor. I know Martha from the Santarons but I'm afraid that's all."

"Martha Jones, UNIT Doctor. I traveled with this Doctor here a while ago but my family needed me so I left. Although that didn't stop the world from bringing us back together did it." Martha smiled at her Doctor who grinned widely back.

"Captain Jack Harkness, Torchwood. I was with Martha here when I was brought here."

"Wait that doesn't make sense." Rose quickly spoke up, Jack wincing when he realized what he'd just done.

"I thought you came from Satellite Five. How could you have been with Martha? Jack, the Doctor said you died-"

Rose quickly cut herself off in horror. She hadn't meant to say that but she remembered that the Doctor had said Jack died at the gamestation, had he lied?

Both 10 and Jack grimaced at the same time. This wouldn't be a pleasant talk at all, even if it's one they knew they needed to have.

"I'll explain later." 10 pleaded, he didn't want to talk to Rose about Jack's immortality and how it had happened.

Neither 10 or Jack blamed her for what she'd done under the influence of the Time Vortex, still they knew Rose and how she'd feel once she learned the truth.

Rose frowned but nodded when she saw both her friends didn't want to talk about it. Although the moment they didn't have an audience she'd be getting her answers.

"My name's Rose Tyler. I've traveled with both 10 and 9. I got stuck in a parallel world when we were fighting cybermen."

"Who's ever taken us all out of time also has the power to take people out of parallel worlds. That takes some serious firepower." 12 spoke, his voice dark and serious as they all stared at each other in worry.

"Well done, Doctor."

Everyone's head swerved in the same direction. The wall that the sofas were facing was no longer a wall but one huge screen. A face was projected onto it.

One that 12 and Clara were quite familiar with.

"Ashildr!" 12 shouted and pulled out his sonic screwdriver, the other Doctors following in suit until their were four lights shining brightly at the screen.

"I've told you Doctor, it's Me. Lady Me. Not Ashildr." The woman on the screen spoke, annoyance clear in her voice. "You can put away your toys, they won't do you any good."

"What have you done, Ashildr?"

"I told you once a long time ago Doctor. That you may protect this universe but I will be the one to protect it against you. For those you leave behind as well."

Lady Me's gazed at the companions that littered the room, their own eyes darted down or to their own Doctors.

12 scowled firmly, his eyebrows were furrowed in distress.

"I've brought as many as I can to this alternative space, it's like a pocket universe, outside your realm of time and space. I wanted to gather more of you but the closer I got to the Time War the more disruptive the energy got so for now I've only been able to gather four of you, Doctor and only a handful of your companions. A meer dip in the pool of people you've left behind."

"We know the risks and rewards in following the Doctor." River broke in, her eyes blazing with anger. "We've all made our own choices and I'd like it if you respect that and not treat us like discarded toys."

"But aren't you tis? The Doctor brings person after person to the Tardis once the last one either expires or leaves. He's done this since the first day he'd stolen the Tardis and fled his home world. Only it was worse wasn't it Doctor? Your own granddaughter?"

"The Doctor must never be alone, and if you knew him then you'd know that." Amy argued back, while everyone's minds spun at the thought of the Doctor having a granddaughter, let alone the thought of the Doctor actually having blood related family. "He makes us better and I like to think we do the same." 11 swung his arms around his Ponds and gave them a quick hug while shooting his wife a grateful smile.

Lady Me stared through the screen at the determined faces of those that loved the Doctor.

"Even if it means your deaths or the deaths of loved ones? Following after the mad man in a box. Look around you, see how many of you are in this room right here. How many of you thought you'd be with the Doctor for your life? When your life is only as long as the Doctor allows it."

"How dare you!" Donna yelled suddenly, all the Doctors had their heads down and were subdued in a very worrying way.

Yaz, Ryan and Graham were hugging 13 close by as they glared at the screen and the woman on it. They were not the only ones who were pissed off with the nonsense this woman was spreading.

Donna got up as well and stood right up at the screen, ignoring everyone's worried warnings to stay away.

"The Doctor tries, they really try to save everyone and maybe some days they can't. But you know what? That's okay because at least they try, while so many hide and run the Doctor always stands up and fights for what is good and wonderful in this world, they don't blame anyone but themselves whenever they lose someone and yes it hard. It hurts like hell to lose someone but the Doctor has to pick themselves up again and again because that's what they know needs to be done to save the next one and the next one after that. So kindly shut your bitch mouth."

"Donna!" All the Doctors yelled out, scandalized by the language but also by the speech.

Clara stood up next.

"I don't know what timeline you are from Ashildr but I remember you. So many times we've met and I know you've met the Doctor again and again. The Doctor saved you."

"The Doctor gave me a fate worse than death. How is immortality a gift? What he gave me was a curse but one I've long since accepted. I'm not doing this as punishment for his transgressions on me Clara. Believe it or not this is for his own good, it could have been a far worse fate."

Jack jerked harshly, gazing at the woman who just claimed immortality. Was she like him then?

12 looked at Jack, his gaze filled with guilty sadness. He knew what his former companion was thinking, what he was hoping would be true.

"Not quite the same Jack, she can be gravely injured and possibly die but otherwise she is functionally immortal. Each time she is injured her body makes it so that it wouldn't be able to suffer the same attack twice."

He turned his attention back to the screen. "How long now has it been for you, Ashildr? I met you at the end of the universe, you left with Clara. Where are you in your timestream?"

"I'm not quite there yet, Doctor." Lady Me commented. "I've made a deal you see. The last thing you said to me was that the universe was a small place when you were angry at someone. I wasn't going to wait around for retaliation."

12 stood still as the possibilities flooded his mind.

"Clara just died in your timestream didn't she." 12 asked, his voice void of anger or sadness.

"Yes."

"This deal, would it be with the same people you made that other deal with."

The silence after that question spoke for itself. Lady Me took a moment before continuing onward, although it was noted that she kept her gaze away from 12 who was staring at her with very, very angry eyebrows.

"I'm sure your all still wondering why your here. The Doctor cares about his imagine more then he'd like to admit, your beliefs and trust in him are what drives him to be the man they want to become."

"Oi, woman now." 13 said under her breath.

"So this room is time sealed, I've extracted certain adventures of the Doctor with some help. I've also alternated them enough so that they'd watch like a television show, as it may get boring after a while."

Lady Me ignored the bemused expressions.

"You say you believe in the Doctor, but do any of you truly know him? How much and how true? Let's find out, shall we? I'll be playing one episode at a time and I'll let you all have one one hour break randomly to talk amongst yourselves. I'm sure after a few of them you'll be finding lots to talk about." Lady Me gazed back at the Doctors, her eyes blazing with coldness.

"I'll be playing what I deem the more relevant adventures. The ones that seem to impact the Doctor the most emotionally and physically, not to mention his chosen companions. Maybe I'll even do them out of order, play around and all that."

She sneered before relaxing, her expression shifted back to neutral.

"But this is not meant to confuse you, so I won't do that. I'll be starting it from another Doctor, the one I couldn't extract since he's too close to the timestream of the Time War. I'll be back later."

The screen turned black before beginning to play.

Everyone got as comfortable as they could as the room dimmed itself so they wouldn't strain their eyes watching. 12 grunted at the thought of the Time Lords being considerate, he didn't know what their game was, since as far as he knew in their timeline he was still in the damned confession dial.

He knew he needed to talk to his other selves to figure out an escape plan, for now he'd play along and enjoy the time he was given with his companions. All of them, because he knew once they escaped he'd be saying goodbye for the final time.

He just wasn't sure if his hearts could take having to say it again.


	2. End of the World

_**The End of the World**_

_**[Tardis]**_

Everyone watched as the Tardis console appeared on screen. Rose and 10 held hands as they gazed at the title card scrolled down, hinting very vividly on which adventure was going to be shown to them.

Both of them knew immediately what they would be all seeing. After all, they had lived through it, in Rose's case it hadn't even been that long ago that this occurred.

**DOCTOR**_: Right then, Rose Tyler, you tell me. Where do you want to go? Backwards or forwards in time. It's your choice. What's it going to be? _

**ROSE**_: Forwards. _

**DOCTOR**_: How far? _

**ROSE**_: One hundred years. _

_(A few seconds of travel.) _

**DOCTOR**_: There you go. Step outside those doors, it's the twenty second century. _

**ROSE**_: You're kidding. _

**DOCTOR**_: That's a bit boring, though. Do you want to go further? _

**ROSE**_: Fine by me. _

**DOCTOR**_: Ten thousand years in the future. Step outside, it's the year 12005, the new Roman Empire. _

**ROSE**_: You think you're so impressive. _

**DOCTOR**_: I am so impressive. _

**ROSE**_: You wish. _

Everyone laughed at that and gazed fondly at their Doctors who all stared back with multiple levels of confusion.

"What's so funny?" 11 asked Amy but his friend just laughed and hugged him tightly to her side.

"Raggedy man, never change."

"But I do change?" 11 pointed to his other selves in bemusement.

Amy snorted, her laughter caught in her throat.

"Not what I meant, dummy."

**DOCTOR**_: Right then, you asked for it. I know exactly where to go. Hold on! _

_(The Tardis zooms down a time vortex.) _

Everyone went quiet and stared at the large screen with bemusement written on their faces.

"Is that really the Time Vortex?" Martha asked.

All the Doctors were gazing up at the screen, it had been so long since they'd been eight years old and forced to stare into The Untempered Schism.

They couldn't remember if this is what they'd been seen all those centuries ago.

"It's beautiful." Clara breathed out and all the companions nodded in agreement. It was beautiful; beautiful but deadly.

"I once road on the outside of the Tardis when she'd dematerialized. I can't remember if the Vortex looked like this but if it did I'm sorry I kept dying instead of remembering this." Jack told a wide-eyed Donna as Martha grimaced in remembrance of that time. It had been the beginning of the end for her adventures with the Doctor.

None of them saw Rose staring at him as he spoke about dying so casually. Confusion and not a little anger growing in her eyes as more and more questions rose in her mind that she tucked back, she'd have time enough to talk about it with her Doctor and he'd better be honest with her or he'd be getting a revisit to the Tyler Slap. Everyone seemed to be more in the know of certain important events but her.

She wasn't stupid or clueless as some of her old mates back home had assumed before she'd swoop in and cleared their wallets during poker nights at the bar that Mickey had liked to go to when they'd been dating. She more or less had already guessed it was because some of them had the privilege of traveling with the Doctor for longer then she had, not to mention that some of them seem to have met each other at some point in time and shared adventures.

**ROSE**_: Where are we? What's out there?_

_**[Gallery 15]**_

_(Rose walks down a flight of steps and a large shutter in the wall descends to reveal an orbital view of the Earth.) _

**DOCTOR**_: You lot, you spend all your time thinking about dying, like you're going to get killed by eggs or beef or global warming or asteroids. But you never take time to imagine the impossible, that maybe you survive. This is the year five point five slash apple slash twenty six. Five billion years in your future, and this is the day- _

_(He looks at his wrist watch.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Hold on. _

_(The sun flares and turns red.) _

**DOCTOR**_: This is the day the Sun expands. Welcome to the end of the world._

River leaned over her family and stretched out her arm in order to smack 10 in the arm, harshly.

"Ow! Why?"

"Serious? You took her to the destruction viewing of her planet? How long has she been with you at this point?"

"This was the first time we'd properly traveled in the Tardis." Rose confessed, while she'd been muffled about River and her casually touching her Doctor, she had a valid point. The Doctor could have taken her anywhere else, anytime else, but he'd decided to show her something that had been bound to hurt her. Had he actually cared about her at all in those early days?

None of the Doctors tried to defend themselves, it had been a rather bad choice in retrospect.

_**[Outer Space]**_

_(A pair of small spaceships approached a large cruciform space station hanging in Earth's orbit)_

**COMPUTER**_: Shuttles five and six now docking. Guests are reminded that Platform One forbids the use of weapons, teleportation and religion. Earth Death is scheduled for fifteen thirty nine._

_**[Platform One]**_

**COMPUTER**_: Followed by drinks in the Manchester Suite._

_(The Doctor and Rose walk along a corridor.)_

**ROSE**_: So, when it says guests, does that mean people?_

**DOCTOR**_: Depends what you mean by people._

**ROSE**_: I mean people. What do you mean?_

**DOCTOR**_: Aliens._

**ROSE**_: What are they doing on board this spaceship? What's it all for?_

**DOCTOR**_: It's not really a spaceship, more like an observation deck. The great and the good are gathering to watch the planet burn. _

_(The Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver on a wall panel)_

**ROSE**_: What for?_

**DOCTOR**_: Fun._

River wasn't the only one to cast worried glances at the Doctors.

"That sounds more like my kind of party then yours, sweetie."

"Yes." 11 confessed softly, but those nearby him could hear loud and clear. "I regenerated very recently and I still hadn't processed everything that had happened to me. I hadn't been kind to Rose, or any of my companions in that regeneration, not until later on and even then that's up for interpretation."

_**[Observation Deck]**_

_(A large area with a few display cases and a view of space to the front and above.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Mind you, when I said the great and the good, what I mean is, the rich. _

**ROSE**_: But, hold on. They did this once on Newsround Extra. The sun expanding, that takes hundreds of years. _

**DOCTOR**_: Millions, but the planet's now property of the National Trust. They've been keeping it preserved. See down there? Gravity satellites holding back the sun. _

**ROSE**_: The planet looks the same as ever. I thought the continents shifted and things. _

**DOCTOR**_: They did, and the Trust shifted them back. That's a classic Earth. But now the money's run out, nature takes over. _

**Rose**_: How long's it got? _

**DOCTOR**_: About half an hour and then the planet gets roasted. _

**ROSE**_: Is that why we're here? I mean, is that what you do? Jump in at the last minute and save the Earth? _

**DOCTOR**_: I'm not saving it. Time's up. _

**ROSE**_: But what about the people? _

**DOCTOR**_: It's empty. They're all gone. No one left. _

**ROSE**_: Just me, then. _

_(A blue-skinned person with golden slit eyes strides towards them.) _

**STEWARD**_: Who the hell are you? _

**DOCTOR**_: Oh, that's nice, thanks. _

**STEWARD**_: But how did you get in? This is a maximum hospitality zone. The guests have disembarked. They're on their way any second now. _

**DOCTOR**_: That's me. I'm a guest. Look, I've got an invitation. Look. There, you see? It's fine, you see? The Doctor plus one. I'm the Doctor, this is Rose Tyler. She's my plus one. Is that all right? _

_(The Doctor puts away the piece of apparently blank paper he was showing to the steward.) _

"Ah good old psyche paper, never lets me down." 11 bragged loudly.

"Except when it does." 13 grumbled as her friends patted her own the back in sympathy.

**STEWARD**_: Well, obviously. Apologies, et cetera. If you're on board, we'd better start. Enjoy. _

_(The Steward goes over to the lectern.) _

**DOCTOR**_: The paper's slightly psychic. It shows them whatever I want them to see. Saves a lot of time. _

**ROSE**_: He's blue. _

**DOCTOR**_: Yeah. _

**ROSE**_: Okay. _

**STEWARD**_: We have in attendance the Doctor and Rose Tyler. Thank you. All staff to their positions. _

_(A lot of small people appear.) _

**STEWARD**_: Hurry, now, thank you. Quick as we can. Come along, come along. And now, might I introduce the next honoured guest? Representing the Forest of Cheam, we have trees, namely, Jabe, Lute and Coffa. _

_(A bark-skinned woman enters with two larger male escorts.) _

**STEWARD**_: There will be an exchange of gifts representing peace. If you could keep the room circulating, thank you. Next, from the solicitors Jolco and Jolco, we have the Moxx of Balhoon. _

_(Another blue alien, this time mostly head and body, sitting on a transport pod.) _

**STEWARD**_: And next, from Financial Family Seven, we have the Adherents of the Repeated Meme. _

_(A group of black-robed bipeds.) _

**STEWARD**_: The inventors of Hypo-slip Travel Systems, the brothers Hop Pyleen. Thank you. _

_(Fur clad reptilians. The announcements of variations on the biped theme continue.) _

**STEWARD**_: Cal Spark Plug. Mister and Mrs Pakoo. The Ambassadors from the City State of Binding Light. _

_(The trees go up to the Doctor.) _

**JABE**_: The Gift of Peace. I bring you a cutting of my Grandfather. _

_(She gives the Doctor a rooted twig in a small pot.) _

**DOCTOR**_:Thank you. Yes, gifts. Er, I give you in return air from my lungs. _

_(He breathes gently on Jabe.) _

**JABE**_: How intimate. _

**DOCTOR**_: There's more where that came from. _

**JABE**_: I bet there is. _

All female companions reached out to lightly slap their respected Doctors arms.

"No flirting!"

River just chuckled and gave 11 a kiss on the cheek.

"Well I can't say I've made love to a tree darling, but if you're up to it, I think I can pencil it in for next week."

11 looked properly frighten as did 10. 12 just snorted and leaned back in his seat, he'd had years of practice with dealing with River's flirtatious comments, sometimes she meant them and other times she was just saying things to fluster him.

This was probably one of those times, although it would serve 11 right if he found himself in bed with multiple life-forms.

If the Doctor flirts, River will take that as initiative for more fun. He'd learned that over the years they spent together. Not all of them had been in the comfort of their room, although a good many of them had been.

12 became a bit flustered at the memories and ignored Bill's and Clara's curiosity at his abashed state.

**STEWARD**_: From the Silver Devastation, the sponsor of the main event, please welcome the Face of Boe. _

_(A large glass case barely makes it through the doorway. It contains a giant humanoid head with straggly hair and squinting eyes.) _

"Ah good old Boe!" 10 said excitedly as Martha also exclaimed in happiness. They both reached out to hug a very confused, but happily acceptable Jack.

Jack couldn't help but feel like he'd heard that name before, it was like a thought on the edge of his mind, something that was knocking at his brain but for the life of him he couldn't seem to remember why.

**DOCTOR**_: The Moxx of Balhoon. _

**MOXX**_: My felicitations on this historical happenstance. I give you the gift of bodily salivas. _

_(Moxx's spit hits Rose in the face.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Thank you very much. _

_(The black-robed group glide up.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Ah! The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. I bring you air from my lungs. _

_(A large metal hand holds out a ball.) _

**ADHERENT**_: A gift of peace in all good faith. _

**STEWARD**_: And last but not least, our very special guest. Ladies and gentlemen, and trees and multiforms, consider the Earth below. In memory of this dying world, we call forth the last Human. The Lady Cassandra O'Brien Dot Delta Seventeen. _

_(A face in a piece of thin skin stretched in a rectangular frame is wheeled in by two men hidden in top-to-toe hospital whites.) _

**CASSANDRA**_: Oh, now, don't stare. I know, I know it's shocking, isn't it? I've had my chin completely taken away and look at the difference. Look how thin I am. Thin and dainty. I don't look a day over two thousand. Moisturise me. Moisturise me. _

_(One of her attendants uses a pump spray on the skin.) _

"What the heck is that?" Graham's outburst startled everyone, although he only asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

"How is that the last human?" Martha asked, upset with the very idea of it.

"It doesn't make sense, I've seen humans, proper real humans at the end of the universe and none of them looked like her."

Rose shrugged, her memories of Cassandra weren't the best, although she had redeemed herself a little bit later on in New New York.

**CASSANDRA**_: Truly, I am the last Human. My father was a Texan, my mother was from the Arctic Desert. They were born on the Earth and were the last to be buried in its soil. I have come to honour them and say goodbye. Oh, no tears, no tears. I'm sorry. But behold, I bring gifts. From Earth itself, the last remaining ostrich egg. Legend says it had a wingspan of fifty feet and blew fire from its nostrils. Or was that my third husband? Oh, no. Oh, don't laugh. I'll get laughter lines. And here, another rarity. _

_(Rose walked around to the back of Cassandra to see just how thin she is, and a 50's jukebox is wheeled in.) _

**CASSANDRA**_: According to the archives, this was called an iPod. It stores classical music from humanity's greatest composers. Play on! _

_(One of the little attendants presses a button, a 45 is selected and the strains of Tainted Love by Soft Cell ring out.) _

**STEWARD**_: Refreshments will now be served. Earth Death in thirty minutes. _

_(Rose finally couldn't take all the aliens and runs out. The Doctor goes to follow her, but gets intercepted.) _

**JABE**_: Doctor? _

_(A bright flash! Came from the device she is holding. A type of camera, presumably.) _

**JABE**_: Thank you. _

**ADHERENT**_: A gift of peace in all good faith. _

**STEWARD**_: No, you're very kind, but I'm just the Steward. _

**ADHERENT**_: A gift of peace in all good faith. _

**STEWARD**_: Well, yes, thank you. Of course. _

_(The steward takes the proffered ball. Jabe consults her camera, which twitters like a bird.) _

**JABE**_: Identify species. Please identify species. Now stop it. Identify his race. Where's he from? It's impossible. _

_(She hurries away. One of the Adherant's gifts has been placed on a shelf in a display stand. It opens, and a four-legged metal spider scurries away.)_

_**[Corridor]**_

_(Rose has wandered off, and is looking at the growing sun through a window when a young woman of the same race as the Steward comes around the corner. She is wearing overalls and a baseball cap.) _

**ROSE**_: Sorry. Am I allowed to be in here? _

**RAFFALO**_: You have to give us permission to talk. _

**ROSE**_: Er, you have permission. _

**RAFFALO**_: Thank you. And, no, you're not in the way. Guests are allowed anywhere. _

**ROSE**_: Okay. _

_(Raffalo goes to a wall panel and unlocks it.) _

**ROSE**_: What's your name? _

**RAFFALO**_: Raffalo. _

**ROSE**_: Raffalo? _

**RAFFALO**_: Yes, miss. I won't be long, I've just got to carry out some maintenance. There's a tiny little glitch in the Face of Boe's suite. There must be something blocking the system. He's not getting any hot water. _

**ROSE**_: So, you're a plumber? _

**RAFFALO**_: That's right, miss. _

**ROSE**_: They still have plumbers? _

**RAFFALO**_: I hope so, else I'm out of a job. _

**ROSE**_: Where are you from? _

**RAFFALO**_: Crespallion. _

**ROSE**_: That's a planet, is it? _

**RAFFALO**_: No. Crespallion's part of the Jaggit Brocade, affiliated to the Scarlet Junction, Convex fifty six. And where are you from, miss? If you don't mind me asking. _

**ROSE**_: No, not at all. Er, I don't know. A long way away. I just sort of hitched a lift with this man. I didn't even think about it. I don't even know who he is. He's a complete stranger. Anyway, don't let me keep you. Good luck with it. _

**RAFFALO**_: Thank you, miss. And er, thank you for the permission. Not many people are that considerate. _

**ROSE**_: Okay. See you later. _

_(Rose leaves. Raffalo removes the wall panel and has a look inside.) _

"That was really nice of you." River complemented Rose.

"What do you mean?"

"I've been known to crash parties like this on my slow days and what I've seen is that most visitors of their elk wouldn't grant permission, let alone speak to the help with any common decency."

Rose and a few other companions wrinkled their noses in disgust. It boggled their minds how others could treat anyone without respect. They understood that sometimes you have to be disrespectful to the enemy but people in general?

The Doctors felt their hearts melt in fondness as he saw the offended expressions on his companions faces. He always did have the best judgement in character when making friends.

**RAFFALO**_: Now then. Control, I'm at junction nineteen and I think the problem's coming from in here. I'll go inside and have a look. _

_(Before she can crawl into the conduit, there is a tapping sound of metal on metal.) _

**RAFFALO**_: What's that? Is something in there? _

_(A metal spider comes towards her.) _

**RAFFALO**_: Oh! Who are you, then? _

_(It scuttles away.) _

**RAFFALO**_: Hold on! If you're an upgrade I just need to register you, that's all. Oh, come back. _

_(She gets inside the conduit.) _

**RAFFALO**_: Ah, there you are. Now, I just need to register your identity. Oh, there's two of you. Got yourself a little mate. I think I'd better report this to Control. How many of you are there? What are you? Oh, no, no, no! _

_(Raffalo gets dragged along the conduit.)_

Rose let out a small outraged cry, ignoring the looks of pity and shared empathy from the others around her. She hadn't given much thought to the other workers on the station after they'd left and to see one taken and most likely killed, one that she had interacted with tore a small hole in her heart. 10 hugged her tightly and whispered reassurances in her ear as she watched the screen with tear glazed eyes.

_**[Steward's office]**_

_(The Steward puts his gift on a side table and sits at his desk. The computer beeps and burbles at him.) _

**STEWARD**_: What's that? Well, how should I know? _

_(He makes a broadcast.) _

**STEWARD**_: Would the owner of the blue box in private gallery fifteen please report to the Stewart's office immediately. Guests are reminded that use of teleportation devices is strictly forbidden under Peace Treaty five point four slash cup slash sixteen. Thank you. _

_(The ball hatches into another metal spider.)_

_**[Outer Space]**_

_**COMPUTER**__: Earth Death in twenty five minutes._

_**[Gallery 15]**_

_(Rose is playing with the ball)_

**COMPUTER**_: Earth Death in twenty five minutes._

**ROSE**_: Oh, thanks._

_(She puts the ball down and picks up the plant pot)_

**ROSE**_: Hello, my name is Rose. That's sort of a plant. We might be related. I'm talking to a twig._

_(The ball hatches.)_

Rose let out a watery laugh at herself, she'd been so innocent and naive back then. The Doctors kept their eyes on the younger Rose on screen, letting their current and present Rose sitting with them come to terms with what was happening on screen. Everyone else followed the Doctors' direction in letting Rose have a moment to herself.

_**[Outside Gallery 15]**_

_(The little assistants are wheeling the Tardis away.)_

**DOCTOR**_: Oi, now, careful with that. Park it properly. No scratches. _

_(One of them hands the Doctor a ticket. It says on one side - Have A Nice Day. A pair of spiders scuttle along the ceiling unseen.)_

_**[Gallery 15]**_

_(The spider scans Rose's hand then scuttles away when the Doctor calls out.)_

**DOCTOR**_[OC]: Rose? Are you in there?_

_(The Doctor enters)_

**DOCTOR**_: Aye, aye. What do you think, then?_

**ROSE**_: Great. Yeah, fine. Once you get past the slightly psychic paper. They're just so alien. The aliens are so alien. You look at 'em and they're alien._

**DOCTOR**_: Good thing I didn't take you to the Deep South._

**ROSE**_: Where are you from? _

**DOCTOR**_: All over the place. _

**ROSE**_: They all speak English. _

**DOCTOR**_: No, you just hear English. It's a gift of the Tardis. The telepathic field, gets inside your brain and translates. _

**ROSE**_: It's inside my brain? _

**DOCTOR**_: Well, in a good way. _

**ROSE**_: Your machine gets inside my head. It gets inside and it changes my mind, and you didn't even ask? _

**DOCTOR**_: I didn't think about it like that. _

**ROSE**_: No, you were too busy thinking up cheap shots about the Deep South. Who are you, then, Doctor? What are you called? What sort of alien are you? _

**DOCTOR**_: I'm just the Doctor. _

**ROSE**_: From what planet? _

**DOCTOR**_: Well, it's not as if you'll know where it is! _

**ROSE**_: Where are you from? _

**DOCTOR**_: What does it matter? _

**ROSE**_: Tell me who you are! _

**DOCTOR**_: This is who I am, right here, right now, all right? All that counts is here and now, and this is me. _

**ROSE**_: Yeah, and I'm here too because you brought me here, so just tell me. _

**COMPUTER**_: Earth Death in twenty minutes. Earth Death in twenty minutes. _

**ROSE**_: All right. As my mate Shareen says, don't argue with the designated driver. _

_(Rose takes out her mobile phone.) _

**ROSE**_: Can't exactly call for a taxi. There's no signal. We're out of range. Just a bit. _

**DOCTOR**_: Tell you what. _

_(He takes her phone apart.) _

**DOCTOR**_: With a little bit of jiggery pokery. _

**ROSE**_: Is that a technical term, jiggery pokery? _

**DOCTOR**_: Yeah, I came first in jiggery pokery. What about you? _

**ROSE**_: No, I failed hullabaloo. _

**DOCTOR**_: Oh. There you go. _

_(Rose phones home.) _

**JACKIE **_[OC]: Hello? _

**ROSE**_: Mum? _

**JACKIE **_[OC]: Oh, what is it?_

_**[The Tyler flat]**_

_(Jackie is emptying the washing machine.) _

**JACKIE**_: What's wrong? What have I done now? Oh, this red top's falling to bits._

_**[Gallery 15]**_

**JACKIE **_[OC]: You should get your money back. Go on._

_**[The Tyler flat]**_

**JACKIE**_: There must be something, you never phone in the middle of the day._

_**[Gallery 15]**_

**JACKIE **_[OC]: What's so funny? _

**ROSE**_: Nothing. You all right, though?_

_**[The Tyler flat]**_

**JACKIE**_: Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?_

_**[Gallery 15]**_

**ROSE**_: What day is it?_

"I shouldn't have asked that, she thought I'd been out drinking all night. Like I'd do that on a weekday." Rose rolled her eyes at herself on screen and smiled brightly at the scenes of her mother. She was happy that her mum had her parallel father in that other world. Rose had only a short while to get to know the man but he seemed nice enough, and knowing her mum she was probably ruling that man with an iron-fist by now.

"I don't know, if your one of the students at the University then everyday is hangover day." Bill commented. "I've seen blokes come into the lunch looking like death on a Tuesday morning and promising that they'd never drink again but they'd be back at it again the very next day."

"You go to University?" Rose asked, curious about the Doctors other companions.

Bill flushed and dropped her eyes. "Ah, no. Not really. I'm just one of the lunch ladies in the cafeteria. I've gone to a few of the Doctor's lectures though even if I wasn't an official student. That's what caught his notice actually."

Rose smiled gently at the flustered woman, Bill seemed to be the closest to her in age and she seemed really nice, although she hadn't taken the time to talk much with the others yet and reminded herself to do so.

12 smiled slightly at his student-companion, leaning forward he gestured to the still flustered woman.

"Bill's a smart woman, more than all those students put together. How could I not take her under my wing?"

"He's an amazing tutor." Bill perked up with excitement. "I didn't even learn about the time-traveling and Aliens until a puddle tried to kill me."

No one knew what to address first, that the Doctor actually had a proper job and interacted with people on a normal-ish scale, or that Bill's first interaction with an alien lifeform had been a killer puddle.

_**[The Tyler flat]**_

**JACKIE**_: Wednesday, all day. You got a hangover?_

_**[Gallery 15]**_

**JACKIE**_: Oh, I tell you what. Put a quid in that Lottery syndicate. I'll pay you back later. _

**ROSE**_: Yeah, er, I was just calling 'cos_

_**[The Tyler flat]**_

**ROSE **_[OC]: I might be late home. _

**JACKIE**_: Is there something wrong?_

_**[Gallery 15]**_

**ROSE**_: No. I'm fine. Top of the world. _

_(Jackie rings off.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Think that's amazing, you want to see the bill. _

**ROSE**_: That was five billion years ago. So, she's dead now. Five billion years later, my mum's dead. _

**DOCTOR**_: Bundle of laughs, you are. _

_(The space station shakes.) _

**DOCTOR**_: That's not supposed to happen._

_**[Steward's office]**_

**STEWARD**_: Well, what was it? I'm just getting green lights at this end. _

_(He makes a calm broadcast.) _

**STEWARD**_: Honoured guests may be reassured that gravity pockets may cause slight turbulence, thanking you. _

_(He berates Control.) _

**STEWARD**_: The whole place shook! I felt it. I've hosted all sorts of events on Platforms One, Three, Six and Fifteen and I've never felt the slightest tremor. I warn you, if this lot decide to sue. I'm going to scan the infrastructure. _

_(He does so, then hears a scuttling sound.) _

**STEWARD**_: What's that? Control, I don't want to worry you, but I'm picking up readings. I have no idea. Well, they're small. The scan says they're metal. I don't know what they look like! _

_(Then he sees one on the desk.) _

**STEWARD**_: Although I imagine they might look rather like that. You're not on the guest list. How did you get on board? _

_(The spider pushes a button on his desk keyboard.) _

**STEWARD**_: No. _

**COMPUTER**_: Sun filter deactivated. _

**STEWARD**_: No! _

**COMPUTER**_: Sun filter descending. _

_(The room starts to fill with white light from the ceiling downwards as the filter on the window lowers.) _

**STEWARD**_: No! Sun filter, up! No, no, no! _

**COMPUTER**_: External temperature four thousand degrees. _

**STEWARD**_: Control, respond! Sun filter up! Argh! _

_(The spider escapes through a small vent into the corridor.)_

_**[Observation gallery]**_

**MOXX**_: Indubitably, this is the Bad Wolf scenario. I find the inherent laxity of the on-going multiverse _

"Hold on did he say Bad Wolf?" 10 whispered under his breath, no one heard him so he just leaned further into the cushions. Bad Wolf had started even back then? He looked down Rose who must have sensed him looking at her because she smiled up at him as she curled up even tighter in his embrace. He calmed down as he smiled back, even when he got pulled back into his timestream he would try to always remember that he got to spend more time with Rose. Something he wouldn't trade for the world.

He'd missed her fiercely after he'd lost her and maybe a small part of it was because she'd been there for him during his after war years but a large part of it had been Rose herself. She'd been bright and brilliant, a ray of bubbly sunshine that melted this old man's heart the longer he got to know her.

Right now, just by being here with her now, with all of his friends, it felt like a small tiny bit of his heart was finally healing.

_(The Doctor and Rose enter.) _

**DOCTOR**_: That wasn't a gravity pocket. I know gravity pockets and they don't feel like that. What do you think, Jabe? Listened to the engines. They've pitched up about thirty Hertz. That dodgy or what? _

**JABE**_: It's the sound of metal. It doesn't make any sense to me. _

**DOCTOR**_: Where's the engine room? _

**JABE**_: I don't know, but the maintenance duct is just behind our guest suite, I could show you and your wife. _

**DOCTOR**_: She's not my wife. _

**JABE**_: Partner? _

**DOCTOR**_: No. _

**JABE**_: Concubine? _

**DOCTOR**_: Nope. _

**JABE**_: Prostitute? _

All the companions were giving the Doctors disappointed stink eyes as the Doctors just slouched down into their seats trying to avoid notice.

**ROSE**_: Whatever I am, it must be invisible. Do you mind? Tell you what, you two go and pollinate. I'm going to catch up with family. Quick word with Michael Jackson. _

_(Rose goes to talk to Cassandra.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Don't start a fight. _

_(He offers Jabe his arm.) _

**DOCTOR**_: I'm all yours. _

**ROSE**_: And I want you home by midnight. _

**COMPUTER**_: Earth Death in fifteen minutes. Earth Death in fifteen minutes._

_**[Maintenance duct]**_

_(A multitude of spiders scuttle out of sight behind the swags of wiring and piping.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Who's in charge of Platform One? Is there a Captain or what? _

**JABE**_: There's just the Steward and the staff. All the rest is controlled by the metal mind. _

**DOCTOR**_: You mean the computer? But who controls that? _

**JABE**_: The Corporation. They move Platform One from one artistic event to another. _

**DOCTOR**_: But there's no one from the Corporation on board. _

**JABE**_: They're not needed. This facility is purely automatic. It's the height of the Alpha class. Nothing can go wrong. _

**DOCTOR**_: Unsinkable? _

**JABE**_: If you like. The nautical metaphor is appropriate. _

**DOCTOR**_: You're telling me. I was on board another ship once. They said that was unsinkable. I ended up clinging to an iceberg. It wasn't half cold. So, what you're saying is, if we get in trouble there's no one to help us out? _

**JABE**_: I'm afraid not. _

**DOCTOR**_: Fantastic. _

**JABE**_: I don't understand. In what way is that fantastic?_

"Because otherwise the Doctor wouldn't be able to show off how impressive he thinks he is." Amy snarked with a dry tone.

"Oi! I am so impressive!" 10 yelled back and yapped even louder at the smack from Donna's hand that came quickly after.

"Kept it down spaceman or I'll be showing everyone here how impressively red your face will get from my hand." She warned him and he willingly sulked back down immediately into a snickering group hug from his other companions sitting nearby.

_**[Observation gallery]**_

**CASSANDRA**_: Soon, the sun will blossom into a red giant, and my home will die. That's where I used to live, when I was a little boy, down there. Mummy and Daddy had a little house built into the side of the Los Angeles Crevice. I'd have such fun. _

**ROSE**_: What happened to everyone else? The human race, where did it go? _

**CASSANDRA**_: They say mankind has touched every star in the sky. _

**ROSE**_: So, you're not the last human. _

**CASSANDRA**_: I am the last pure human. The others mingled. _

**CASSANDRA**_: Oh, they call themselves New humans and Proto-humans and Digi-humans, even 'Humanish, but you know what I call them? Mongrels. _

**ROSE**_: Right. And you stayed behind. _

**CASSANDRA**_: I kept myself pure. _

**ROSE**_: How many operations have you had? _

**CASSANDRA**_: Seven hundred and eight. Next week, it's seven hundred and nine. I'm having my blood bleached. Is that why you wanted a word? You could be flatter, Rose. You've got a little bit of a chin poking out. _

**ROSE**_: I'd rather die. _

**CASSANDRA**_: Honestly, it doesn't hurt. _

**ROSE**_: No, I mean it. I would rather die. It's better to die than live like you, a bitchy trampoline. _

**CASSANDRA**_: Oh, well. What do you know. _

**ROSE**_: I was born on that planet, and so was my mum, and so was my dad, and that makes me officially the last human being in this room, 'cos you're not human. You've had it all nipped and tucked and flattened till there's nothing left. Anything human got chucked in the bin. You're just skin, Cassandra. Lipstick and skin. Nice talking. _

_(The Adherants watch Rose leave.)_

_**[Maintenance duct]**_

**DOCTOR**_: So tell me, Jabe, what's a tree like you doing in a place like this? _

**JABE**_: Respect for the Earth. _

**DOCTOR**_: Oh, come on. Everyone on this platform's worth zillions. _

**JABE**_: Well, perhaps it's a case of having to be seen at the right occasions. _

**DOCTOR**_: In case your share prices drop? I know you lot. You've got massive forests everywhere, roots everywhere, and there's always money in land. _

**JABE**_: All the same, we respect the Earth as family. So many species evolved from that planet. Mankind is only one. I'm another. My ancestors were transplanted from the planet down below, and I'm a direct descendant of the tropical rainforest. _

**DOCTOR**_: Excuse me. _

_(He scans a door panel marked Welcome to Platform One. Guide of Platform One Do You Need Assistance. A keypad labelled Maintenance log in, then Access denied.) _

**JABE**_: And what about your ancestry, Doctor? Perhaps you could tell a story or two. Perhaps a man only enjoys trouble when there's nothing else left. I scanned you earlier. The metal machine had trouble identifying your species. It refused to admit your existence. And even when it named you, I wouldn't believe it. But it was right. I know where you're from. Forgive me for intruding, but it's remarkable that you even exist. I just wanted to say how sorry I am. _

_(She puts her hand on his arm, and the Doctor puts his hand over hers. A tear drops from his eye. He gets the door open.)_

Everyone stopped what they were doing and went to hug a Doctor nearest them, even 12 didn't put up a fight even if it didn't hurt him like it did his other selves. After all he knew they weren't dead and gone, just making themselves an annoying inconvenience to him at the worst of times.

_**[Engine room]**_

_(It runs the whole depth of the Platform. The Doctor and Jabe are by a catwalk that runs through a series of large fans.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Is it me, or is it a bit nippy? _

_(In a corridor, Rose is met by the Adherants, who knock her out by pistol whipping her with a weapon. They drag her into a room.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Fair do's, though, that's a great bit of air conditioning. Sort of nice and old fashioned. Bet they call it retro. _

_(He scans a panel.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Gotcha. _

_(He pulls it off. A spider scuttles out and up the wall.) _

**DOCTOR**_: What the hell's that? _

**JABE**_: Is it part of the retro? _

**DOCTOR**_: I don't think so. Hold on. _

_(The Doctor aims his screwdriver at the spider, then Jabe lassoes it.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Hey, nice liana. _

**JABE**_: Thank you. We're not supposed to show them in public. _

**DOCTOR**_: Don't worry, I won't tell anybody. Now then, who's been bringing their pets on board? _

**JABE**_: What does it do? _

**DOCTOR**_: Sabotage. _

**COMPUTER**_: Earth Death in ten minutes. _

**DOCTOR**_: And the temperature's about to rocket. Come on. _

**COMPUTER**_: Earth Death in ten minutes._

_**[Observation gallery]**_

**CASSANDRA**_: The planet's end. Come gather, come gather. Bid farewell to the cradle of civilisation. Let us mourn her with a traditional ballad. _

_(The jukebox selects a record labeled Toxic by Britany Spears.)_

_**[Outside the Steward's office]**_

_(Smoke from the room is filling the corridor and the glare is coming through a small glass panel in the door. The little assistants have gathered.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Hold on. Get back. _

_(The Doctor does the sonic thing on another small panel.) _

**COMPUTER**_: Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising. _

**JABE**_: Is the Steward in there?! _

**DOCTOR**_: You can smell him. Hold on, there's another sun filter programmed to descend. _

_(He runs off.)_

_**[Gallery 15]**_

**COMPUTER**_: Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending. _

_(Rose wakes in time to see the deadly glare begin to fill the room. She hammers on the door.) _

**ROSE**_: Let me out! Let me out!_

**COMPUTER**_: Sun filter descending._

_**[Outside gallery 15]**_

**ROSE**_: Let me out! Let me out!_

_**[Gallery 15]**_

**ROSE**_: Let me out! _

**COMPUTER**_: Sun filter descending._

_**[Outside gallery 15]**_

**COMPUTER**_: Sun filter descending. _

_(He works the door panel.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Anyone in there?_

_**[Gallery 15]**_

**ROSE**_: Let me out!_

_**[Outside gallery 15]**_

**DOCTOR**_: Oh, well, it would be you._

_**[Gallery 15]**_

**ROSE**_: Open the door!_

_**[Outside gallery 15]**_

**DOCTOR**_: Hold on. Give us two ticks._

_**[Gallery 15]**_

_(The scorching rays reach the top of the door.) _

**COMPUTER**_: Sun filter descending. Sun filter descending._

_**[Outside gallery 15]**_

**COMPUTER**_: Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising._

_**[Gallery 15]**_

**COMPUTER**_: Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising._

_**[Outside gallery 15]**_

**COMPUTER**_: Sun filter descending. _

**DOCTOR**_: Just what we need._

_**[Gallery 15]**_

**DOCTOR **_[OC]: The computer's getting clever. _

**ROSE**_: Stop mucking about!_

_**[Outside gallery 15]**_

**DOCTOR**_: I'm not mucking about. It's fighting back._

_**[Gallery 15]**_

**ROSE**_: Open the door! _

**DOCTOR **_[OC]: I know! _

_(Rose runs down the steps away from the glare as it moves down the door.)_

_**[Outside gallery 15]**_

**ROSE **_[OC]: The lock's melted! _

**COMPUTER**_: Sun filter descending. Sun filter_

_**[Outside gallery 15]**_

**COMPUTER**_: Descending. Sun filter rising. Sun filter rising. _

_(Rose runs back up to the door.) _

**DOCTOR**_: The whole thing's jammed. I can't open the doors. Stay there!_

_**[Gallery 15]**_

**DOCTOR **_[OC]: Don't move! _

**ROSE**_: Where am I going to go, Ipswich? _

**COMPUTER**_: Earth Death in five minutes._

_**[Observation gallery]**_

**JABE**_: The metal machine confirms. The spider devices have infiltrated the whole of Platform One. _

**CASSANDRA**_: How's that possible? Our private rooms are protected by a code wall. Moisturise me, moisturise me. _

**MOXX**_: Summon the Steward. _

**JABE**_: I'm afraid the Steward is dead. _

**MOXX**_: Who killed him? _

**CASSANDRA**_: This whole event was sponsored by the Face of Boe. He invited us. Talk to the Face. Talk to the Face. _

**DOCTOR**_: Easy way of finding out. Someone bought their little pet on board. Let's send him back to master. _

_(The Doctor puts down the spider that Jabe was scanning, and it scuttles off to Cassandra and scans her, then goes to the black gowned group.) _

**CASSANDRA**_: The Adherents of the Repeated Meme. J'accuse! _

**DOCTOR**_: That's all very well, and really kind of obvious, but if you stop and think about it _

_(He goes over to the Adherants. Their leader tries to hit him, so he pulls of its arm.) _

**DOCTOR**_: A Repeated Meme is just an idea. And that's all they are, an idea. _

_(He pulls one of the wires dangling from the arm, and the Adherants all collapse.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Remote controlled Droids. Nice little cover for the real troublemaker. Go on, Jimbo. Go home. _

_(The Doctor gives the spider a nudge, and it returns to Cassandra.) _

**CASSANDRA**_: I bet you were the school swot and never got kissed. At arms! _

"We'll see about that!" Rose smirked and leaned forward and smacked a quick kiss on the corner of 10's lips. Causing the man to sputter in embarrassed outrage as Jack leaned forward and kissed his cheek as well, getting into the playful mood.

"Ooh I like the way you think." River smirked as well before leaning forward and snogged the hell out of 11, making it clear it wasn't a chaste kiss by any means.

Amy just stared blankly at all the kissing couples around her before grabbing Rory in a choke hold and kissed him hard while he waved his arms around in panic.

12 raised his arms into karate chop angles to defend himself from the horde of kissing companions.

"Don't even think about it." He warned his nearest companions but Clara and Bill just rolled their eyes and chuckled over his overexaggerated attitude.

13 just raised an eyebrow at her companions who laughed and shook their heads, they wouldn't be kissing her anytime soon, if ever. She pouted at them. It wasn't that she wanted to be kissed, she just felt left out of the fun that her younger selves were getting into.

_(Her attendants raise their spray guns.) _

**DOCTOR**_: What are you going to do, moisturise me? _

**CASSANDRA**_: With acid. Oh, you're too late, anyway. My spiders have control of the mainframe. Oh, you all carried them as gifts, tax free, past every code wall. I'm not just as pretty face. _

**DOCTOR**_: Sabotaging a ship while you're still inside it? How stupid's that? _

**CASSANDRA**_: I'd hoped to manufacture a hostage situation with myself as one of the victims. The compensation would have been enormous. _

**DOCTOR**_: Five billion years and it still comes down to money. _

**CASSANDRA**_: Do you think it's cheap, looking like this? Flatness costs a fortune. I am the last human, Doctor. Me. Not that freaky little kid of yours. _

**MOXX**_: Arrest her, the infidel _

**CASSANDRA**_: Oh, shut it, pixie. I've still got my final option. _

**COMPUTER**_: Earth Death in three minutes. _

**CASSANDRA**_: And here it comes. You're just as useful dead, all of you. I have shares in your rival companies and they'll triple in price as soon as you're dead. My spiders are primed and ready to destroy the safety systems. How did that old Earth song go? Burn, baby, burn. _

**JABE**_: Then you'll burn with us. _

**CASSANDRA**_: Oh, I'm so sorry. I know the use of teleportation is strictly forbidden, but I'm such a naughty thing. Spiders, activate. (There is a series of explosions through the Platform.) _

**CASSANDRA**_: Forcefields gone with the planet about to explode. At least it'll be quick. Just like my fifth husband. Oh, shame on me. _

**COMPUTER **_Safety systems failing. _

**CASSANDRA**_: Bye, bye, darlings. Bye, bye, my darlings. _

_(Cassandra and her attendants beam out.) _

**COMPUTER**_: Heat levels rising. _

**MOXX**_: Reset the computer. _

**JABE**_: Only the Steward would know how. _

**DOCTOR**_: No. We can do it by hand. There must be a system restore switch. Jabe, come on. You lot, just chill. _

**COMPUTER**_: Heat rising._

_**[Space]**_

**COMPUTER**_: Earth Death in two minutes. Earth Death in two minutes._

_**[Maintenance duct]**_

**COMPUTER**_: Heat levels critical._

_**[Engine room]**_

**COMPUTER**_: Heat levels critical. _

**DOCTOR**_: Oh. And guess where the switch is. _

_(On the other side of the turning razor sharp fans.) _

**COMPUTER**_: Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising. _

_(The Doctor pulls a breaker lever and the fans slow a little, but it resets as soon as he lets go of it.) _

**COMPUTER**_: External temperature five thousand degrees. _

_(Jabe pulls the breaker and holds it down.) _

**DOCTOR**_: You can't. The heat's going to vent through this place. _

**JABE**_: I know. _

**DOCTOR**_: Jabe, you're made of wood. _

**JABE**_: Then stop wasting time, Time Lord. _

**COMPUTER**_: Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising._

"They're always so brave." 11 said sadly, his memories filling his mind of past companions and once-off friends who died trying to do the right thing or just trying to impress him. 10 nodded his head in agreement, he could remember what Davros had shown him, his Children of Time. It wasn't all good as he did have a nasty habit of creating soldiers to fight for him so he didn't have too. Something he was even now slowly coming to accept and deal with. Although knowing himself he'd probably just barely acknowledge it before burying it deep in his mindset in order to forget about the very idea of such a revelation.

_**[Observation gallery]**_

**COMPUTER**_: Heat levels hazardous. _

_(The observation window begins to crack.) _

**MOXX**_: We're going to die! _

**COMPUTER**_: Heat levels hazardous. _

_(The Doctor makes it past the first fan.)_

_**[Gallery 15]**_

_(The window begins to crack here, too.) _

**COMPUTER**_: Shields malfunction. Shields malfunction. Shields malfunction. _

_(Random pieces of deadly glare lance into the room.)_

_**[Engine room]**_

__**COMPUTER**_: Heat levels critical. Heat levels critical. _

_(The Doctor looks back at Jabe, then times his run past the second fan. _

_Glare lances through into the main observation gallery.) _

**COMPUTER**_: Heat levels rising. Heat levels rising. _

_(Jabe starts to combust. She lets go of the breaker and the fans speed up to faster than before until they are just a blur.) _

**COMPUTER**_: Planet explodes in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five _

_(The Doctor shuts his eyes and walks past the last fan.) _

**COMPUTER**_: Four. _

_(He opens his eyes, realises he is safe and dashes for the reset breaker.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Raise shields!_

_**[Gallery 15]**_

**COMPUTER**_: One. _

_(A forcefield envelopes Platform One as the Earth starts to boil, then explodes.) _

**COMPUTER**_: Exoglass repair. Exoglass repair. Exoglass repair. _

_(Rose opens her eyes as the cracks in the window vanished, and she sees the fractured remains of home floating by.) _

**COMPUTER**_: Exoglass repair. _

_(In the engine rooms, the fans have slowed right down for the Doctor to walk back easily to Jabe's smoking remains.)_

_**[Observation gallery]**_

_(Rose enters. The Moxx of Balhoon had got fried by the glare. The Doctor enters and goes over to the two other trees. He gives them the bad news.) _

**DOCTOR**_: I'm sorry. _

**ROSE**_: You all right? _

**DOCTOR**_: Yeah, I'm fine. I'm full of ideas, I'm bristling with them. Idea number one, teleportation through five thousand degrees needs some kind of feed. Idea number two, this feed must be hidden nearby. _

_(He smashes open the alleged ostrich egg to reveal a small device.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Idea number three, if you're as clever as me, then a teleportation feed can be reversed. _

**CASSANDRA **_[OC]: Oh, you should have seen their little alien faces. _

_(Cassandra is beamed back in.) _

**CASSANDRA**_: Oh. _

**DOCTOR**_: The last human. _

**CASSANDRA**_: So, you passed my little test. Bravo. This makes you eligible to join, er, the Human Club. _

**DOCTOR**_: People have died, Cassandra. You murdered them. _

**CASSANDRA**_: It depends on your definition of people, and that's enough of a technicality to keep your lawyers dizzy for centuries. Take me to court, then, Doctor, and watch me smile and cry and flutter _

**DOCTOR**_: And creak? _

**CASSANDRA**_: And what? _

**DOCTOR**_: Creak. You're creaking. _

**CASSANDRA**_: What? Ah! I'm drying out! Oh, sweet heavens. Moisturise me, moisturise me! Where are my surgeons? My lovely boys! It's too hot! _

**DOCTOR**_: You raised the temperature. _

**CASSANDRA**_: Have pity! Moisturise me! Oh, oh, Doctor. I'm sorry. I'll do anything. _

**ROSE**_: Help her. _

**DOCTOR**_: Everything has its time and everything dies. _

**CASSANDRA**_: I'm too young! _

_(Splat!)_

_**[Space]**_

**COMPUTER**_: Shuttles four and six departing. This unit now closing down for maintenance._

_**[Observation gallery]**_

_(Only Rose and the Doctor are left, looking at the asteroids that were once the Earth as they float past the red giant Sun.) _

**ROSE**_: The end of the Earth. It's gone. We were too busy saving ourselves. No one saw it go. All those years, all that history, and no one was even looking. It's just _

**DOCTOR**_: Come with me._

_**[London]**_

_(A baby cries, a man laughs. The Doctor and Rose stand in the middle of teeming people going about their daily lives.) _

**MAN**_: Big Issue! Big Issue! _

**DOCTOR**_: You think it'll last forever, people and cars and concrete, but it won't. One day it's all gone. Even the sky. My planet's gone. It's dead. It burned like the Earth. It's just rocks and dust before its time. _

**ROSE**_: What happened? _

**DOCTOR**_: There was a war and we lost. _

**ROSE**_: A war with who? What about your people? _

**DOCTOR**_: I'm a Time Lord. I'm the last of the Time Lords. They're all gone. I'm the only survivor. I'm left travelling on my own 'cos there's no one else. _

**ROSE**_: There's me. _

**DOCTOR**_: You've seen how dangerous it is. Do you want to go home? _

**ROSE**_: I don't know. I want. Oh, can you smell chips? _

**DOCTOR**_: Yeah. Yeah. _

**ROSE**_: I want chips. _

**DOCTOR**_: Me too. _

**ROSE**_: Right then, before you get me back in that box, chips it is, and you can pay. _

**DOCTOR**_: No money. _

**ROSE**_: What sort of date are you? Come on then, tightwad, chips are on me. We've only got five billion years till the shops close._


	3. Intermission 01

Thank you everyone who has reviewed. It means a lot and helps motivate me to continue onward. I'm still considering switching around episodes of the Doctors. Right now I have the plotted out episodes of the Ninth Doctor already. But I might possibly jump around with 10, 11, 12 and 13.  
We'll see.  
Hope you enjoy the chapter, it's mostly a quick intermission between episodes. We'll get another one in a few chapters, either focusing on certain companions or Doctors.  
Right now the Doctors, excluding 13 who is perfect in every way, are in a bad spot mentally, and physically for 10 and 12. As the story progress they'll hopefully heal and deal with some issues, with the help of their friends and loved ones. And themselves.  
They need to learn to give and receive forgiveness from themselves.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxxxx

It was silent as the screen turned black and a white number counter appeared, 60 minutes and counting down.

They all just sat there quietly for a few seconds more before everyone started to speak at once, causing a mess of noise and confusion.

A piercing loud whistle ripped through the air, shutting everyone up and causing not a little bit of pain to their eardrums.

12 put his hand down from his mouth and furred his eyebrows angrily.

"Be silent all of you!" He lectured harshly to his subdued audience, it felt like he was back at the university all over again, only with freshmen this time.

"I don't know when the next time we'll be getting a break like this again, as we may have to watch several of these moments before the next hour of gossip circle happens, so until we figure that out I want you all to keep your babbling idiocy to yourself. Later on you can all gossip to your heart's content, but not while I'm figuring out a way to get us out of here, it's stupidly distracting."

"Oi!" 10, 11 and 13 all yelled out, annoyed at being lumped together with the gosspy humans and dismissed entirely by their 12th self.

Clara snapped at him before anyone else had an opportunity too. With the way that Donna and Amy were looking at him he might not see another sunrise.

Gingers, so touchy.

"Doctor! Flashcard time now!"

12 instinctively reached deep into his coat pockets and pulled out a loose bundle of white cards. The corners were all worn down and folded with small stains showing how well used they were.

"Uh, hold on a tick." 12 could feel a drop of cold sweat on his brow as he shuffled through the cards, Clara's cold gaze chilling him to the bone and making him deeply regret his actions of allowing his emotions to overcome him and taking it out on everybody else.

It wasn't the videos themselves that had him in a tizzy, unlike his past regenerations. It was the unknown of what was to become of them all that had him internally panicking. He'd just lost Bill and Nardole on the colony ship and having his past companions in the room with him was throwing him off balance. Would he have to see them all die again? This time, possibly with his own two eyes? The Time Lords weren't a gracious or kind race. After what he'd done with trying to save Clara they would have no more mercy for him and his friends.

Looking at his companions he couldn't help but think of the ones he'd just lost, even with the younger versions sitting next to him.

Nardole had a hopefully long, slow-path life still yet to live but Bill had been taken from him in brutal fashion, she'd been hurt and then left stranded for 10 years with a disguised Master. He hadn't even had a moment's time to ask her about her time on the lower decks. 10 years may be a blink in the eye for him but for a human that was a big part of their life, and it was gone because of him.

She'd been converted into a horrible state of being. But brave Bill, she'd fought till the very end, holding on as tightly as she could to her humanity.

It hurt his hearts so much to think of those tears in her eyes. Even as a cyberman she'd felt so much.

He wouldn't even touch the still open wounds of Missy leaving him to go off gallivanting with her younger self. That was another Tardis size box of issues that he'd keep locked up in his hearts and mind for the rest of his life, thank you very much.

"Ah, here it is. Ahem, I formally and with complete sincerity apologize for my inability to treat those around me with equality and compassion." 12 deadpans and then looks over at Clara to see if he was off the hook from a scolding.

"Continue."

12 frowned harder but obediently shuffled the cards until he came to another one.

"I will work to improve myself and my understand of all humans, non-humans, humanism, blobs and all other conscious or unconscious forms of lifeforms."

"Better."

12 beamed as Clara smiled back at him with encouragement. He wouldn't say it out verbally or even think of it loudly but he'd missed her bossy overtones.

"Wow, you have him leashed and whipped." Donna whispered loudly enough for Jack to have a laughing fit.

Bill and Nardole were laughing as well, but both were thinking the same thing.

What they wouldn't have done to have those flashcards in hand during a few of their adventures with the Doctor.

"Naw it's not like that. My Doctor just tends to look at the bigger picture and forgets all the little niceties that most interactions need in order to avoid unnecessary strangling of this idiot here."

Clara waved to the Doctor who just looked mildly offended.

"Okay but I was right, we should definitely talk about how we're all going to escape and get back to all our proper Tardises."

A crackling noise filled the air and everyone turned their attention to Graham who was eating some saltines that he'd pulled from his pocket.

Bill's nose wrinkled in confusion as she looked around, trying to figure out where the food had come from.

"Hold on, where did you get food?"

Graham stopped eating once he noticed that everyone's attention was on him.

"Oh, I brought it with me. With the Doctor you never know when you'll be able to get a break in between the running and screaming. So I pack my pockets full of on-the-go snacks. Want any?"

Graham openly offered the sleeve of crackers to everyone else. 13 took a few but everyone else declined.

"Hold on, it's been almost a whole day since the last time I got something to eat. How am I not starving right now?"

All the companions came to the realization that none of them were tired or hungry, even when they knew that they should have been feeling those biological urges by now.

"Doctor…"

13 stood up and began to scan her friends and everyone else with her sonic.

"We've all been stopped, it's not only a anti-paradox room but our bodies are also frozen, that means the necessity of sleep and eating aren't in effect as long as your in the room."

"So no need to pause the show to go take a shit then?" Nardole nodded to himself.

"Nardole, behave!" 12 snapped as River just sent her former employee a look of deep disappointment, causing the cyborg to squirm in embarrassment and lean further in the couch cushions in order to avoid any further attention.

"They're not frozen like me, are they?" Clara asked. Worried about everyone else in the room, she was already dead but everyone else had so much life left to live. She was terrified that Ashildr had others sharing her fate.

13 paused in her scanning before turning towards her former companion.

"No Clara, don't worry. Everyone else is still living, maybe frozen is a bad choice of words. Slowed down would be more accurate. Although this might make escaping more tricky since we won't be given any access to a door or cat flap for meal times."

"Does no one want to talk about the video we just watched?" Rory questioned out loud. Bringing the conversation around as everyone came to terms that they wouldn't need to rest or eat while imprisoned here.

"I mean, isn't that the reason we're all here?"

"No, we're here Rory, because some power-tripping idiots are trying to make me angry." 11 said acidly, pretty much fed up with everything up until the point.

"I may not know who that woman is, or at least not yet. But whatever she has plan I'm not going to play along."

He eyed Clara and 12 with an icy glare, he would be forgiving to Clara as she probably didn't know the extent of what all this would do to him, but himself?

The Doctor knew himself well, and it was because he knew himself that the easiest person to hate in the room was himself.

"I agree with Rory."

Everyone turned towards 10.

"Why?!" 11 shouted and was quickly hushed by River, as she stared intently at the younger Doctor.

10 shifted Rose until she was curled up in Jack's arms, she went willingly but not without pouting at him.

Getting to his feet 10 walked towards the other couches were 11 and his companions were sitting and stood before them, trying not to fidget but failing horribly.

"Maybe it's because I'm younger than you, or maybe it's because I haven't yet forgotten the things I was forced to do during the Time War."

10's eyes were sad but had a steel shine to them that made 11 scoff in dismissal.

Still, he couldn't help but turn his head sideways to avoid looking directly into his younger self's eyes.

"I can see it in your eyes, you know. How you've closed off the memories. Can you remember how it felt all those years ago? Do you feel anything when we watched the video of our shared past? Or are you too jaded of a man to care anymore?"

12 had been silent so far but after that taunt came in a little closer, he didn't want to get zapped by temporal energy if those two got into a fight, but needs must since he was the only one who would be physically able to restrain them if need be.

13 stayed where she was as she didn't feel that her interaction was needed. She was so much older then everyone here and it pained her to see her younger selves in such internal agony.

She agreed with 10, although probably not for the same reasons. 10 wanted to watch the videos and for their companions to react to them, but not in a positive way. He wanted to be punished and maybe it was because of exactly 'when' he'd been pulled from, with no Rose, no Martha or Donna.

No Master.

13 had grown not just in years but in mental strength, she'd had wonderful companions and life-long friends come and go and now several of them were in the room with her.

She turned her gaze to 10's companions, her old love for them was still beating strong in her hearts, although it was distant, like a fond memory. She loved them all but she'd moved on from their passing in her life and maybe 10 would have something negative to say about that but that was the price of living as long as they did.

Time matched on and even a Time Lord had to obey that law of Time.

"It isn't that we've forgotten or buried the memories." 12 spoke to 10, directing his gaze to him and leaving 11 alone for now.

"We're old men, older than you and infinitely more tired of life. You can't say that after all you've experienced and dealt with that you wouldn't want to hide from the pain and enjoy the company of adventure and distraction. You can't because that is exactly what you do and what I have done and what he is doing now. Age and time can make many a man into different personas. All of it changes us, adventure, hardships, companions gained and lost."

12 looked at Clara and Bill with sad eyes, their small understanding smiles uplifted him but still caused him a fair amount of pain.

"Out of all of us you may be closer to the Time War, but we're all lived through things that had changed us profoundly. It doesn't make us better or worse, just different."

All was quiet for a while after that, everyone was either avoiding each other's gazes or doing the complete opposite.

"So…" Amy tried to start a conversation as the awkward silence was killing her.

"Can we all agree that the Doctor has shit taste in first dates?"

The laughter that exploded from that comment was one part genuine and two parts exhausted, hysterical relief.

It continued on until the screen flicked on again to show the next viewing that Lady Me picked out for them.

None of the Doctors tried to interrupt the almost manic merriment. 12 came to the understanding that they wouldn't be doing anything productive this time around and looking around at the laughing faces of his friends maybe that's okay.

Maybe they all needed this moment to relax and enjoy each other. He knew the Time Lords controlling this scenario wouldn't stay quiet forever, Ashildr may think she was in charge of what was going on but she was just a puppet like all of them.

Time will tell them the true purpose of this, but until then who knows?

Maybe they'd become closer during this enclosed imprisonment.

In the unfolding screen that showed them all just what makes the Doctor; the Doctor.


	4. Dalek

_**Dalek**_

All the Doctors paled as the title card flashed in the beginning of the video. 10 released a low moan that had Martha and Donna curling up towards him as Rose stayed in Jack's embrace and let the man hold her as her memories of this day overtook her.

She hadn't been able to comprehend what kind of creature a Dalek was back then. Now after having dealt with Daleks who hadn't already been half-dead and were instead thriving she finally understood the Doctor's fear and hatred of them.

It didn't help her feelings on the matter that they had been the reason that she'd almost lost her Doctor back on Satellite Five.

She hated them, while at the same time, she pitied the one that had shared her DNA.

The Dalek who decided death was better than evolving into something else, something that wasn't a killing machine.

Maybe it was because they'd been connected that she felt something other than hatred for that Dalek.

That lone Dalek that she had contaminated with humanity.

But even with the countless deaths that happened on that day, she still felt a sense of pity and sadness well up in her at the thought of that creature.

But only for that Dalek alone, the one who'd just wanted to feel the sun on it's metal frame and taste freedom in the air.

_**[Museum]**_

_(The Tardis materialises in dimly lit area with carpeting and display cases.) _**ROSE**_: So what is it? What's wrong? _

**DOCTOR**_: Don't know. Some kind of signal drawing the Tardis off course. _**ROSE**_: Where are we? _

**DOCTOR**_: Earth. Utah, North America. About half a mile underground. _**ROSE**_: And when are we? _

**DOCTOR**_: Two thousand and twelve. _

_(He looks at a display case.) _

**ROSE**_: God, that's so close. So I should be twenty six. _

_(The Doctor finds the light switch, and things become more clear.) _

**ROSE**_: Blimey. It's a great big museum. _

**DOCTOR**_: An alien museum. Someone's got a hobby. They must have spent a fortune on this. Chunks of meteorite, moon dust. That's the milometer from the Roswell spaceship. _

**ROSE**_: That's a bit of Slitheen! That's a Slitheen's arm. It's been stuffed. _

**DOCTOR**_: Oh, look at you. _

**ROSE**_: What is it? _

_(The head of a Cyberman.) _

At the exact same time both Clara and 12 hissed in anger and fear, the both of them curling up and glaring at the screen with hatred in their eyes.

Their hatred of the Cybermen was obvious to everyone around them and the wave of concerned companions were ignored as they continued to silently glare at the screen.

Martha was about to ask if they were alright but was stopped by Jack who shook his head, they'd have time to ask later. Right now they needed to concentrate on the video in front of them, Jack already had a feeling it wouldn't end well considering how tightly Rose was holding onto him.

**DOCTOR**_: An old friend of mine. Well, enemy. The stuff of nightmares reduced to an exhibit. I'm getting old. _

**ROSE**_: Is that where the signal's coming from? _

**DOCTOR**_: No, it's stone dead. The signal's alive. Something's reaching out, calling for help. _

_(The Doctor touches the display case and an alarm goes off. Armed guards rush in from all sides and cut them off from the Tardis.) _

**ROSE**_: If someone's collecting aliens, that makes you Exhibit A._

_**[Corridor]**_

**TANNOY**_: Attention all personnel. Bad Wolf One descending. Bad Wolf One descending. _

_(A helicopter has landed. Four armed guards line the corridor as a man and his aides stride out of a doorway.) _

"Hold on, didn't that alien back in the first video we watched said Bad Wolf too?" Rory asked but was quickly shushed by his wife and daughter, none of them noticing the appraising eyes of the Doctors on him. Rory continued to surprise them in all the right ways. One of the most level headed of his companions, they hadn't had someone like him on board his ship since Sarah Jane Smith.

**POLKOWSKI**_: On behalf of all of us, I want to wish you a very happy birthday, sir. And the President called to convey his personal best wishes. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: The President is ten points down. I want him replaced. _

**POLKOWSKI**_: I don't think that's very wise, sir. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Thank you so much for your opinion. You're fired. Get rid of him. _

**POLKOWSKI**_: What? _

_(An armed guard drags Polkowski away.) _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Wipe his memory, put him on the road someplace. Memphis, Minneapolis. Somewhere beginning with M. _

_(A woman runs up to take Polkowski's place.) _

Everyone stared stone-eyed at the screen as they watched the poor man being pulled away. Only with how tightly some of the companions were holding onto each other or to their Doctors could you see how unsettled and unnerved they were with Van Statten's attitude and demeanor.

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: So, the next President. What do you think? Republican or Democrat? _

**GODDARD**_: Democrat, sir. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: For what reason? _

**GODDARD**_: They're just so funny, sir? _

_(Van Statten stops.) _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: What is your name? _

**GODDARD**_: Goddard, sir. Diana Goddard. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: I like you, Diana Goddard. So, where's the English kid? _

**ADAM**_: Sir! Sir! I bought ten more artefacts at auction, Mister Van Statten. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Bring 'em on, let me see 'em. _

**GODDARD**_: Sir, with respect, there's something more urgent. We arrested two intruders fifty three floors down. We don't know how they got in. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: I'll tell you how they got in. In-tru-da window. In-tru-da window. That was funny! _

_(Obedient laughter.) _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Bring 'em in. Let's see 'em. And tell Simmons I want to visit my little pet. Get to it! _

_(Van Statten goes through a doorway. Goddard steps aside to use her headset.) _

**GODDARD**_: Simmons? You'd better give me good news. Is it talking?_

_**[Cage]**_

_(Something with blue vision is watching a man wearing a protective suit wielding a chainsaw on itself.) _

**SIMMONS**_: Not exactly talking, no._

_**[Corridor]**_

**GODDARD**_: Then what's it doing?_

_**[Cage]**_

**SIMMONS**_: Screaming. Is that any good?_

"That's horrid." Donna spat out.

"Don't pity it, Donna."

She turned to 10 who had spoken in a sharp, reprimanding tone.

"Why not? What is it that has you so afraid and angry?"

"You'll find out soon enough and I'm sorry, so sorry for the day you'll have to meet them face to face."

_**[Office]**_

_(Adam is showing his boss the latest purchases.) _

**ADAM**_: And this is the last. Paid eight hundred thousand dollars for it. _

_(The Doctor, Rose and Goddard enter.) _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: What does it do? _

**ADAM**_: Well, you see the tubes on the side? It must be to channel something. I think maybe fuel. _

**DOCTOR**_: I really wouldn't hold it like that. _

**GODDARD**_: Shut it. _

**DOCTOR**_: Really, though, that's wrong. _

**ADAM**_: Is it dangerous? _

**DOCTOR**_: No, it just looks silly. _

_(The Doctor reaches for the item, and firing bolts click all around him. Van Stratton hands him the curved, palm sized object.) _

**DOCTOR**_: You just need to be _

_(The Doctor strokes the artefact and it makes a note.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Delicate. _

_(He plays several different notes.) _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: It's a musical instrument. _

**DOCTOR**_: And it's a long way from home. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Here, let me. _

_(Van Statten's touch is harsher. Not nice sounds are produced.) _

**DOCTOR**_: I did say delicate. It reacts to the smallest fingerprint. It needs precision. _

_(Van Statten finally gets the hang of it.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Very good. Quite the expert. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: As are you. _

_(Van Statton casually tosses it aside, onto the floor.) _

"That rude little rat!" River glared at the screen. "He's a complete idiot, that instrument is worth more than his entire collection of broken pieces and parts."

"You recognize it then?" 10 asked, curious of the woman who would apparently one day become his wife. He remembered how she'd react to him back in the Library, how intimate she'd been with him up until the moment it was confirmed that he hadn't known who she was. He'd seen how closely his future self cuddled into her, the little moments between them that would be hard to track if you weren't a Time Lord. He'd even seen his future selves, 12 and 13 respectively send her loving and sad glances from time to time.

Whatever she would become to him it was important and he felt shame crawl up his spine as he remembered how he'd treated her in the short amount of time he'd known her. How she hadn't even hesitated to give her life up for him, so he'd live on.

"Of course I recognize it, pretty boy." River smirked. "I'm an archaeologist after all. The Qhoceds were famous for their musical instruments that ranged from turning the tide of conquest to healing the mentally injured. It's really too bad about that imploding star, the Qhoceds died well before their time in the universe. Only a handful of their creations ever reached out into the stars. I wonder what that little beauty created with it's tune?"

"River stop calculating its value on the sales market."

Amy sighed as her daughter's eyes sparkled with interest. 11 also sighed at his wife's ambitious nature. He knew she truly did care for the culture and people of the civilizations that she investigated and cataloged but she'd never be rid of that little bit of tomb raider in her.

He wouldn't have her any other way.

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Who exactly are you? _

**DOCTOR**_: I'm the Doctor. And who are you? _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Like you don't know. We're hidden away with the most valuable collection of extra-terrestrial artefacts in the world, and you just stumbled in by mistake. _

**DOCTOR**_: Pretty much sums me up, yeah. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: The question is, how did you get in? Fifty three floors down, with your little cat burglar accomplice. You're quite a collector yourself, she's rather pretty. _

**ROSE**_: She's going to smack you if you keep calling her she. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: She's English too! Hey, little Lord Fauntleroy. Got you a girlfriend. _

**ADAM**_: This is Mister Henry Van Statten. _

**ROSE**_: And who is he when he's at home? _

**ADAM**_: Mister Van Statten owns the internet. _

**ROSE**_: Don't be stupid. No one owns the internet. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: And let's just keep the whole world thinking that way, right kids? _

**DOCTOR**_: So you're just about an expert in everything except the things in your museum. Anything you don't understand, you lock up. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: And you claim greater knowledge? _

**DOCTOR**_: I don't need to make claims, I know how good I am. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: And yet, I captured you. Right next to the Cage. What were you doing down there? _

**DOCTOR**_: You tell me. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: The cage contains my one living specimen. _

**DOCTOR**_: And what's that? _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Like you don't know. _

**DOCTOR**_: Show me. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: You want to see it? _

**ROSE**_: Blimey, you can smell the testosterone. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Goddard, inform the Cage we're heading down. You, English. Look after the girl. Go and canoodle or spoon or whatever it is you British do. And you, Doctor with no name, come and see my pet._

"Oh look at us English, spooning and canoodling." Amy snickered as she cuddled into her husband.

"Oi, I'm American." Jack playfully frowned at her.

"I'm _so_ sorry."

"Actually Amelia Pond, your Scottish. Your husband's English enough for the both of you."

11 snarked back at her as Jack fake pouted into a laughing Rose's hair, ignoring 10's half-hearted glaring at his increased casual touching. If his Doctor didn't like it then he was welcome to come over to their side of the couch and do something about it.

_**[Outside the Cage]**_

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: We've tried everything. The creature has shielded itself but there's definite signs of life inside. _

**DOCTOR**_: Inside? Inside what? _

**SIMMONS**_: Welcome back, sir. I've had to take the power down. The Metaltron is resting. _

**DOCTOR**_: Metaltron? _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Thought of it myself. Good, isn't it? Although I'd much prefer to find out it's real name. _

"Sounds like something one of my students would come up with." Clara said under her breath but wasn't surprised to hear a snort of laughter from the Doctor nearest her.

**SIMMONS**_: Here, you'd better put these on. (gauntlets) The last guy that touched it burst into flames. _

**DOCTOR**_: I won't touch it then. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Go ahead, Doctor. Impress me. _

_(The Doctor steps through the heavy door.) _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Don't open that door until we get a result. _

_(Van Statten and Goddard go to a desk with monitors on it.)_

_**[Cage]**_

_(It is dark inside. The door clangs shut and locks.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Look, I'm sorry about this. Mister Van Statten might think he's clever, but never mind him. I've come to help. I'm the Doctor. _

_(A white light blinks next to a blue glow.) _

**METALTRON**_: Doc Tor? _

**DOCTOR**_: Impossible. _

**METALTRON**_: The Doctor? _

_(The lights come up to reveal a bad tempered pepperpot being held in chains.) _

**DALEK**_: Exterminate! Exterminate! _

_(The Doctor hammers on the door in terror.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Let me out! _

**DALEK**_: Exterminate!_

All the companions who sat nearest the Doctors went in for a close hug, even 12 got smothered in worried half-arm hugs from his friends.

"Oh Doctor, are you ever given any breaks."

Bill asked the question out loud but she didn't expect any answer and wasn't surprised when she received none. She may not have had to deal with those pepper shakers personally but she remembered the single one she met when Heather had been chasing her across the cosmos, all because of a promise between them. It hadn't taken Heather long to kill it but with the way everyone around her were reacting to the creature and the Doctors reaction it must be a truly terrifying alien.

_**[Outside the Cage]**_

**GODDARD**_: Sir, it's going to kill him. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: It's talking!_

_**[Cage]**_

**DALEK**_: You are an enemy of the Daleks! You must be destroyed! _

_(Its gun arm twitches but nothing happens.) _

**DOCTOR**_: It's not working. _

_(The Doctor laughs as the Dalek looks at its impotent weapon.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Fantastic! Oh, fantastic! Powerless! Look at you. The great space dustbin. How does it feel? _

**DALEK**_: Keep back! _

_(The Doctor stands inches away, staring into its eyepiece.) _

**DOCTOR**_: What for? What're you going to do to me? If you can't kill, then what are you good for, Dalek? What's the point of you? You're nothing._

_**[Outside the Cage]**_

**DOCTOR** _[on monitor]: What the hell are you here for? _

**DALEK** _[on monitor]: I am waiting for orders._

_**[Cage]**_

**DOCTOR**_: What does that mean? _

**DALEK**_: I am a soldier. I was bred to receive orders. _

**DOCTOR**_: Well you're never going to get any. Not ever. _

**DALEK**_: I demand orders! _

**DOCTOR**_: They're never going to come! Your race is dead! You all burnt, all of you. Ten million ships on fire. The entire Dalek race wiped out in one second. _

**DALEK**_: You lie! _

**DOCTOR**_: I watched it happen. I made it happen. _

**DALEK**_: You destroyed us? _

**DOCTOR**_: I had no choice. _

**DALEK**_: And what of the Time Lords? _

**DOCTOR**_: Dead. They burnt with you. The end of the last great Time War. Everyone lost. _

"But your not the last?" Bill questioned out loud. "Missy's a Time Lord right?"

Nardole tried to hush her as he gazed back at the younger Doctors. He knew a bit of the Doctor's past thanks to his employment with Dr. Song and then working for the Doctor himself.

Not to mention spending the last 70 years being her caregiver and going all over the place to find the most random things for her pleasure and enjoyment, he knew she only asked for the most hardest gifts because she just liked to run him ragged.

He also knew that The Master was a touchy subject with the Doctor, at any and every stage of his life.

11 gazed at Bill with confused wonder, his mind whizzing around, trying to place the name.

"Who's Missy?"

She went to speak but 12 placed his hand over her mouth.

"Spoilers."

13 started to giggle as the other Doctors glared at 12 viciously.

The companions who'd had the knowledge of the Doctor being the last of the Time Lords went to comfort their Doctors. But when Yaz tried to comfort 13 she was denied, vehemently.

"No I'm okay Yaz, there's no need." 13 spoke firmly, her earlier giggle fit had resolved quickly as she looked past her companions to the younger Doctors and their friends.

"But Doc." Graham tried to protest but 13 would have none of it.

"I won't turn down a hug from my Fam, but I'm not in mourning, nor do I care about them anymore, at least, not in the way I use too." 13 said quietly, trying hard to keep her younger self's from overhearing.

12 knew and shared her thoughts on their people at least and they would try to keep it a secret for as long as possible from their younger selves.

Although with these videos they may actually see first hand what the Time Lords had done to them and their friends.

That reminded her, she'd need to talk to 12 about who was really behind this and make up a game plan. Ashildr was only a theatrical puppet for them to focus on after all.

**DALEK**_: And the coward survived. _

**DOCTOR**_: Oh, and I caught your little signal. Help me. Poor little thing. But there's no one else coming 'cause there's no one else left. _

**DALEK**_: I am alone in the universe. _

**DOCTOR**_: Yep. _

**DALEK**_: So are you. We are the same. _

**DOCTOR**_: We're not the same! I'm not (pause) No, wait. Maybe we are. You're right. Yeah, okay. You've got a point. 'Cause I know what to do. I know what should happen. I know what you deserve. Exterminate. _

_(The Doctor pulls a lever on a nearby console and the Dalek is lit up with electricity.) _

**DALEK**_: Have pity! _

**DOCTOR**_: Why should I? You never did._

A loud slapping noise filled the air as everyone froze, some in horror while others looked on in pity and yet still more with a sad look of understanding.

Amy pulled back her hand after delivering the slap to 11's face.

"Don't you dare, Doctor. I get that this is in the past and you were a different man back then."

Amy paused in thought as her anger began to drain away. "Literally a different man but the Doctor I know does not take pleasure in the pain of others, even Daleks."

11 took the slap like a champ, he'd already figured that one of them at least was going to get hit by one of their companions during this showing, Amy had just gotten there first and he didn't blame her. He wanted to avoid looking her in the face like the past version of him was doing by hiding his face in Martha's shoulders. But he knew that he didn't have that luxury, he was older after all.

"I know, Amelia. I won't make excuses but the me on the television was fresh out of the Time War, he'd been through hell and back and to see the very thing that had made him decided he needed to wipe out his own people as well as the enemy survive was more than our mind could handle. We regressed a bit back into war times."

"Wait, what do you mean by wiping out your own people?"

The question was heavily ignored.

_**[Outside the Cage]**_

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Get him out._

_**[Cage]**_

**DALEK**_: Help me! _

_(Guards grab the Doctor as he goes to ramp up the voltage again.) _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: I saved your life. Now talk to me. Goddamn it, talk to me! _

_(Simmons turns off the electricity.) _

**DOCTOR**_: You've got to destroy it! _

_(The Doctor is dragged out.) _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: The last in the universe. And now I know your name. Dalek. Speak to me, Dalek. I am Henry van Statten, now recognise me! Make it talk again, Simmons. Whatever it takes._

_**[Adam's workshop]**_

**ADAM**_: Sorry about the mess. Mister Van Statten sort of lets me do my own thing, so long as I deliver the goods. What do you think that is? _

_(Adam gives Rose an inch think piece of metal.) _

**ROSE**_: Er, a lump of metal? _

**ADAM**_: Yeah. Yeah, but I think, well, I'm almost certain, it's from the hull of a spacecraft. The thing is, it's all true. Everything the United Nations tries to keep quiet, spacecraft, aliens, visitors to Earth. They really exist. _

**ROSE**_: That's amazing. _

**ADAM**_: I know it sounds incredible, but I honestly believe the whole universe is just teeming with life. _

**ROSE**_: I'm gobsmacked, yeah. And you do what, sit here and catalogue it? _

**ADAM**_: Best job in the world. _

**ROSE**_: Imagine if you could get out there. Travel amongst the stars and see it for real. _

**ADAM**_: Yeah, I'd give anything. I don't think it's ever going to happen. Not in our lifetimes. _

**ROSE**_: Oh, you never know. What about all those people who say they've been inside of spaceships and things and talked to aliens? _

**ADAM**_: I think they're nutters. _

**ROSE**_: Yeah, me too. So, how'd you end up here? _

**ADAM**_: Van Statten has agents all over the world looking for geniuses to recruit. _

**ROSE**_: Oh, right. You're a genius. _

**ADAM**_: Sorry, but yeah. I can't help it. I was born clever. When I was eight, I logged onto the US Defence System. Nearly caused World War Three. _

**ROSE**_: What, and that's funny, is it? _

**ADAM**_: Well, you should've been there just to see them running about. Fantastic! _

**ROSE**_: You sound like the Doctor. _

**ADAM**_: Are you and him? _

**ROSE**_: No, we're just friends. _

**ADAM**_: Good. _

**ROSE**_: Why is it good? _

**ADAM**_: It just is. _

"It takes a psychopath to recognize another one, dear, and that boy is dangerous. I would be very careful of being alone with him for a long period of time, Rose. Right now it seems he was trying to impress you but after gaining your attention he'd be quick to change his tune."

Rose turned her gaze to River Song who was looking at her with a concerned expression. It was her eyes that calmed the swell of jealousy in Rose's heart, drenching the flame completely.

River truly seemed to care about her as she worried that something bad could happen to Rose. It didn't seem to matter that this was long in the past, she gave out advice in the hope that it would avert any future disasters with similar people.

Something she said crashed through Rose's mind like lightning.

"Wait, does that make you a psychopath as well?"

River smiled gently at her.

"Spoilers."

**ROSE**_: So, wouldn't you rather be downstairs? I mean, you've got these bits of metal and stuff, but Mister Van Statten's got a living creature down there. _

**ADAM**_: Yeah. Yeah, well, I did ask, but he keeps it to himself. Although, if you're a genius, it doesn't take long to patch through on the comm. system. _

**ROSE**_: Let's have a look, then. _

**ADAM**_: It doesn't do much, the alien. It's weird. It's kind of useless. It's just like this great big pepper pot. _

_(They watch the Dalek screaming as Simmons takes a big drill to its casing.) _

**ROSE**_: It's being tortured! Where's the Doctor? _

**ADAM**_: I don't know. _

**ROSE**_: Take me down there now._

_**[Lift]**_

**DOCTOR**_: The metal's just battle armour. The real Dalek creature's inside. _**VAN** **STATTEN**_: What does it look like? _

**DOCTOR**_: A nightmare. It's a mutation. The Dalek race was genetically engineered. Every single emotion was removed except hate. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Genetically engineered. By whom? _

**DOCTOR**_: By a genius, Van Statten. By a man who was king of his own little world. You'd like him. _

**GODDARD**_: It's been on Earth for over fifty years. Sold at a private auction, moving from one collection to another. Why would it be a threat now? _**DOCTOR**_: Because I'm here. How did it get to Earth? Does anyone know? _

**GODDARD**_: The records say it came from the sky like a meteorite. It fell to Earth on the Ascension Islands. Burnt in its crater for three days before anybody could get near it and all that time it was screaming. It must have gone insane. _

**DOCTOR**_: It must have fallen through time. The only survivor. _

**GODDARD**_: You talked about a war? _

**DOCTOR**_: The Time War. The final battle between my people and the Dalek race. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: But you survived, too. _

**DOCTOR**_: Not by choice. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: This means that the Dalek isn't the only alien on Earth. Doctor, there's you. The only one of your kind in existence._

_**[Doctor's cage]**_

_(So the Doctor is stripped and chained spread-eagled.) _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Now, smile! _

_(A painful laser scan runs down the Doctor's body.) _

"Captain dear?" River's voice was cold as she called out.

Jack felt a cold sweat along his back at being addressed by the calm enraged woman.

"Yes?"

"May I borrow your Vortex Manipulator after this?"

11 looked over at his wife in concern, but River's eyes and face were blank, clear free of all emotion.

"River, why do you need Jack's Manipulator?"

"Well I don't have mine on hand and I need one if I'm going to place that rat on a Rack. It's been a while since I've been to the medieval period on Earth but I'm pretty sure I know where a stash of fun toys are located. The Spanish Inquisition made quite a lot of little tools that I'm just dying to play with, I think Mr. Van Statten would like some first hand experience with some of them."

Everyone stayed pretty quiet after that, especially once Jack handed over his broken Manipulator to River without another word said between them.

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Two hearts! Binary vascular system. Oh, I am so going to patent this. _

**DOCTOR**_: So that's your secret. You don't just collect this stuff, you scavenge it. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: This technology has been falling to Earth for centuries. All it took was the right mind to use it properly. Oh, the advances I've made from alien junk. You have no idea, Doctor. Broadband? Roswell. Just last year my scientists cultivated bacteria from the Russian crater, and do you know what we found? The cure for the common cold. Kept it strictly within the laboratory of course. No need to get people excited. Why sell one cure when I can sell a thousand palliatives? _

**DOCTOR**_: Do you know what a Dalek is, Van Statten? A Dalek is honest. It does what it was born to do for the survival of its species. That creature in your dungeon is better than you. _

_**VAN**_ **STATTEN**_: In that case, I will be true to myself and continue. _

**DOCTOR**_: Listen to me! That thing downstairs is going to kill every last one of us! _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Nothing can escape the Cage. _

_(He blasts the Doctor with the laser again.) _

**DOCTOR**_: But it's woken up. It knows I'm here. It's going to get out. Van Statten, I swear, no one on this base is safe. No one on this planet! _

_(Van Statten runs the laser scan again, just to hear the Doctor scream.)_

_**[Outside the Cage]**_

**BYWATER**_: Hold it right there. _

**ADAM**_: Level three access. Special clearance from Mister Van Statten._

_**[Cage]**_

**ADAM**_: Don't get too close. _

_(The door closes behind Rose and Adam.) _

**ROSE**_: Hello. Are you in pain? My name's Rose Tyler. I've got a friend, he can help. He's called the Doctor. What's your name? _

**DALEK**_: Yes. _

**ROSE**_: What? _

**DALEK**_: I am in pain. They torture me, but still they fear me. Do you fear me? _

**ROSE**_: No. _

**DALEK**_: I am dying. _

**ROSE**_: No, we can help. _

**DALEK**_: I welcome death. But I am glad that before I die I have met a human who was not afraid. _

"That's not right." Clara whispered to 12. "No Dalek would speak like that, even one that was dying."

"I've met some Daleks that played the part of sympathizer before." 12 thought back to Winston Churchill and his bunker, of Professor Edwin Bracewell and how Amy had defused the internal bomb in his chest cavity.

How something that was Dalek created had been so utterly human in the end.

**ROSE**_: Isn't there anything I can do? _

**DALEK**_: My race is dead, and I shall die alone. _

_(Rose reaches for the Dalek's head.) _

**ADAM**_: Rose, no! _

_(A brief touch leaves a golden handprint which quickly fades. The Dalek becomes more animated.) _

**DALEK**_: Genetic material extrapolated. Initiate cellular reconstruction! _

_(The Dalek breaks its chains. Simmons enters.) _

**SIMMONS**_: What the hell have you done? _

_(He goes to the Dalek, carrying his drill. The Dalek raises its sink plunger.) _

**SIMMONS**_: What are you going to do? Sucker me to death? _

_(However did you guess? The sucker covers his nose and mouth and the Dalek creates a vacuum inside it. Ouch!)_

"Holy crap!" Rory hollered shrilly. "They can do that?!"

"Of course." Amy spoke, the unease in her voice barely masked. "Didn't you wonder why they had toilet plungers on their bodies?"

"I just thought it was poor design or an unhappy coincidence."

Ryan was staring at them with undisguised awe. Him and his grandad and Yaz had only been traveling with the Doctor for a short while compared to the others and it was comments like that, that made it obvious. It would be interesting to compare stories later, that is, if the tv doesn't end up showing them everything anyway.

_**[Outside the Cage]**_

**ROSE**_: It's killing him! Do something! _

**BYWATER**_: Condition red! Condition red!_

_**[Doctor's cage]**_

**GUARD** _[OC]: I repeat, this is not a drill! _

**DOCTOR**_: Release me if you want to live._

_**[Office]**_

_(The scene in the Cage is on a large wall TV.) _

**DOCTOR**_: You've got to keep it in that cell. _

**ROSE** _[on screen]: Doctor, it's all my fault. _

**GUARD** _[on screen]: I've sealed the compartment. It can't get out, that lock's got a billion combinations. _

**DOCTOR**_: A Dalek's a genius. It can calculate a thousand billion combinations in one second flat._

_**[Outside the Cage]**_

_(And that is precisely what the Dalek uses its sucker to do.) _

**BYWATER**_: Open fire!_

_**[Office]**_

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Don't shoot it! I want it unharmed. _

**DOCTOR**_: Rose, get out of there!_

_**[Outside the Cage]**_

**BYWATER**_: De Maggio, take the civilians and get them out alive. That is your job, got that? _

_(The woman guard obeys.) _

**DE** **MAGGIO**_: You, with me._

_**[Outside the Cage]**_

_(The Dalek glides up to the wall monitor and smashes it, absorbing the electricity. It's battered armour starts to mend, turning from brown to golden.) _

**BYWATER**_: Abandoning the Cage, sir._

_**[Office]**_

**GODDARD**_: We're losing power. It's draining the base. Oh, my God. It's draining entire power supplies for the whole of Utah. _

**DOCTOR**_: It's downloading. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Downloading what? _

**GODDARD**_: Sir, the entire West Coast has gone down. _

**DOCTOR**_: It's not just energy. That Dalek just absorbed the entire internet. It knows everything._

_**[Outside the Cage]**_

**DALEK**_: The Daleks survive in me! _

_(The Dalek uses its weapon on its surroundings.)_

_**[Office]**_

**GODDARD**_: The cameras in the vault have gone down. _

**DOCTOR**_: We've only got emergency power. It's eaten everything else. You've got to kill it now! _

**GODDARD**_: All guards to converge in the Metaltron cage, immediately._

_**[Corridor]**_

**DE** **MAGGIO**_: Civilians! Let them through! _

_(Rose and Adam, and de Maggio, run through the incoming phalanx of guards.) _

**BYWATER**_: Cover the north wall. Red division, maintain suppressing fire along the perimeter. Blue division argh! _

_(The guard dies the traditional extermination death, by turning black and white and having his skeleton exposed. The guards open fire, but the Dalek just absorbs the bullets. It kills another man. More guards come up behind it, so it swivels its eyepiece around then its middle section turns to open fire on them. Back and forward it alternates, killing someone each time.)_

_**[Office]**_

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Tell them to stop shooting at it. _

**GODDARD**_: But it's killing them! _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: They're dispensable. That Dalek is unique. I don't want a scratch on its bodywork, do you hear me? Do you hear me? _

"I bet he wouldn't say that if that pepperpot was in front of him. No one is dispensable, that he even could say such a thing is disgusting." Yaz frowned and curled up closely to her Doctor, 13 just smiled sadly at her friend and gave her a comforting hug.

"You're absolutely right, Yaz."

_(The gunfire stops, but only because there is no one left to shoot. Goddard calls up a schematic of the base.) _

**GODDARD**_: That's us, right below the surface. That's the cage, and that's the Dalek. _

**DOCTOR**_: This museum of yours. Have you got any alien weapons? _

**GODDARD**_: Lots of them, but the trouble is the Dalek's between us and them. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: We've got to keep that thing alive. We could just seal the entire vault, trap it down there. _

**DOCTOR**_: Leaving everyone trapped with it. Rose is down there. I won't let that happen. Have you got that? It's got to go through this area. What's that? _

**GODDARD**_: Weapons testing. _

**DOCTOR**_: Give guns to the technicians, the lawyers, anyone. Everyone. Only then have you got a chance of killing it._

"What happened to no guns, ever?" Ryan asked, flabbergasted at the screen. The very thought of their Doctor telling everyone to arm themselves was completely out of the realm of reality that he couldn't process it.

"I was a different man back then, still the Warrior learning what it means to be the Doctor again." 13 spoke solomely.

_**[Staircase]**_

**ROSE**_: Stairs! That's more like it. It hasn't got legs. It's stuck! _

**DE** **MAGGIO**_: It's coming! Get up! _

_(They run a flight and look down on the Dalek.) _

**ADAM**_: Great big alien death machine defeated by a flight of stairs. _

**DE** **MAGGIO**_: Now listen to me. I demand that you return to your cage. If you want to negotiate then I can guarantee that Mister van Statten will be willing to talk. I accept that we imprisoned you and maybe that was wrong, but people have died, and that stops right now. The killing stops. Have you got that? I demand that you surrender. Is that clear? _

**DALEK**_: Elevate. _

_(The Dalek glides up the stairs, just like its forebears did at Coal Hill School.) _

**ROSE**_: Oh my God. _

**DE** **MAGGIO**_: Adam, get her out of here. _

**ROSE**_: Come with us. You can't stop it. _

**DE** **MAGGIO**_: Someone's got to try. Now get out! Don't look back. Just run. (Despite the closing range, de Maggio doesn't hit the eyepiece. She suffers the usual fate.)_

_**[Office]**_

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: I thought you were the great expert, Doctor. If you're so impressive, then why not just reason with this Dalek? It must be willing to negotiate. There must be something it needs. Everything needs something. _

**DOCTOR**_: What's the nearest town? _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Salt Lake City. _

**DOCTOR**_: Population? _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: One million. _

**DOCTOR**_: All dead. If the Dalek gets out, it'll murder every living creature. That's all it needs. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: But why would it do that? _

**DOCTOR**_: Because it honestly believes they should die. Human beings are different, and anything different is wrong. It's the ultimate in racial cleansing and you, Van Statten, you've let it loose! The Dalek's surrounded by a force field. The bullets are melting before they even hit home, but it's not indestructible._

_**[Loading bay]**_

**DOCTOR** _[OC]: If you concentrate your fire, you might get through. Aim for the dome, the head, the eyepiece._

_**[Office]**_

**DOCTOR**_: That's the weak spot._

_**[Loading bay]**_

**COMMANDER**_: Thank you, Doctor, but I think I know how to fight one single tin robot. Positions! _

_(His men take cover behind various corners, packing cases, boxes and up on a catwalk with him. Rose and Adam run into view.) _

**COMMANDER**_: Hold your fire! You two, get the hell out of there! _

_(Rose and Adam run past a guard at the entrance. The Dalek enters, turns and zooms in on Rose's face. They get out of the bay.)_

_**[Outside the loading bay]**_

**ROSE**_: It was looking at me. _

**ADAM**_: Yeah, it wants to slaughter us. _

**ROSE**_: I know, but it was looking right at me. _

**ADAM**_: So? It's just a sort of metal eye thing. It's looking all around. _

**ROSE**_: I don't know. It's like there's something inside, looking at me, like, like it knows me._

"It truly was fixed upon me."

Rose said sadly as she watched people die on screen. Back then she hadn't had the processing power or time to worry about those people as she was running. She knew intelligently that they'd died so that she and Adam could escape but to actually see it happen was harder than she thought it would be.

"It was your DNA calling out to it. It felt like it needed you to excuse the new feelings welling up inside as it continued its rampage." 10 spoke softly, his voice barely carrying to the other side of the couch, let alone the rest of the room.

_**[Loading bay]**_

**COMMANDER**_: On my mark. Open fire!_

_**[Office]**_

**GODDARD**_: We've got vision. _

**DOCTOR**_: It wants us to see._

_**[Loading bay]**_

_(The hail of bullets is having no effect. Then the Dalek starts to rise straight up into the air. It zaps the fire alarm and the sprinklers are set off. Once the concrete floor is covered with a layer of water, it fires downwards and electrocutes every wet person on the ground.) _

**COMMANDER**_: Fall back! Fall back! _

_(The Dalek exterminates him and the rest of his men with another strategic shot, then continues to hang there, water pouring down its shell, crying in the rain.)_

_**[Office]**_

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Perhaps it's time for a new strategy. Maybe we should consider abandoning this place. _

**GODDARD**_: Except there's no power to the helipad, sir. We can't get out. _

**DOCTOR**_: You said we could seal the vault. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: It was designed to be a bunker in the event of nuclear war. Steel bulkheads _

**GODDARD**_: There's not enough power, those bulkheads are massive. _

**DOCTOR**_: We've got emergency power. We can re-route that to the bulkhead doors. _

**GODDARD**_: We'd have to bypass the security codes. That would take a computer genius. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Good thing you've got me, then. _

**DOCTOR**_: You want to help? _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: I don't want to die, Doctor. Simple as that. And nobody knows this software better than me. _

**GODDARD**_: Sir. _

_(The Dalek is back on the ground.) _

**DALEK** _[on screen]: I shall speak only to the Doctor. _

**DOCTOR**_: You're going to get rusty. _

**DALEK** _[on screen]: I fed off the DNA of Rose Tyler. Extrapolating the biomass of a time traveller regenerated me. _

**DOCTOR**_: What's your next trick? _

**DALEK** _[on screen]: I have been searching for the Daleks. _

**DOCTOR**_: Yeah, I saw. downloading the internet. What did you find?_

_**[Loading bay]**_

**DALEK**_: I scanned your satellites and radio telescopes._

_**[Office]**_

**DOCTOR**_: And? _

**DALEK** _[on screen]: Nothing. Where shall I get my orders now? _

**DOCTOR**_: You're just a soldier without commands. _

**DALEK** _[on screen]: Then I shall follow the Primary Order, the Dalek instinct to destroy, to conquer. _

**DOCTOR**_: What for? What's the point? Don't you see it's all gone? Everything you were, everything you stood for._

_**[Loading bay]**_

**DALEK**_: Then what should I do?_

_**[Office]**_

**DOCTOR**_: All right, then. If you want orders, follow this one. Kill yourself._

This time is was 10 who got slapped by a companion. Donna's eyes were red with unshed tears while her face was flustered pink. No one said anything but 10 just looked at her sadly as he took the harsh slap like a champ.

Martha curled around her friend as Donna began to cry, comforting her while also comforting herself. They hadn't known this version of the Doctor, not like Rose and Jack but that didn't mean they didn't care about him and to see the Doctor stoop to such low levels as this was almost too much for them.

_**[Loading bay]**_

**DALEK**_: The Daleks must survive!_

_**[Office]**_

**DOCTOR**_: The Daleks have failed! Why don't you finish the job and make the Daleks extinct. Rid the Universe of your filth. Why don't you just die?_

_**[Loading bay]**_

**DALEK**_: You would make a good Dalek._

All the Doctors stiffened at the offense but 12 couldn't help but remember a different Dalek who had told him he'd make a good Dalek, good old Rusty out there killing off Daleks left and right. Some days he even agreed with the bucket of rusted bolts.

Watching his younger self on screen it felt like one of those days.

_**[Office]**_

_(The screen goes blank.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Seal the Vault. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: I can leech power off the ground defences, feed it to the bulkheads. God, it's been years since I had to work this fast. _

**DOCTOR**_: Are you enjoying this? _

**GODDARD**_: Doctor, she's still down there._

_**[Staircase]**_

_(Rose's phone rings.) _

**ROSE**_: This isn't the best time. _

**DOCTOR** _[OC]: Where are you? _

**ROSE**_: Level forty nine._

_**[Office]**_

**DOCTOR**_: You've got to keep moving. The vault's being sealed off up at level forty six._

_**[Staircase]**_

**ROSE**_: Can't you stop them closing?_

_**[Office]**_

**DOCTOR**_: I'm the one who's closing them. I can't wait and I can't help you._

_**[Staircase]**_

**DOCTOR** _[OC]: Now for God's sake, run. _

_(The Dalek is at level fifty one.)_

_**[Office]**_

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Done it. We've got power to the bulkheads. _

**GODDARD**_: The Dalek's right behind them._

_**[Level 46]**_

**ROSE**_: We're nearly there. Give us two seconds._

_**[Office]**_

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Doctor, I can't sustain the power. The whole system is failing. Doctor, you've got to close the bulkheads. _

**DOCTOR**_: I'm sorry._

_**[Level 46]**_

_(The Doctor hits Enter. A klaxon sounds and the bulkhead starts to lower.) _

**ADAM**_: Come on! _

_(Adam rolls under the bulkhead with eighteen inches to spare.)_

_**[Office]**_

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: The vault is sealed. _

**DOCTOR**_: Rose, where are you? Rose, did you make it?_

_**[Level 46]**_

**ROSE**_: Sorry, I was a bit slow. _

_(The Dalek comes round the corner.) _

**ROSE**_: See you, then, Doctor. It wasn't your fault. Remember that, okay? It wasn't your fault._

_**[Office]**_

**ROSE** _[OC]: And do you know what?_

_**[Level 46]**_

**ROSE**_: I wouldn't have missed it for the world._

"Gods above, you were very brave, my dear." River spoke softly, respect and admiration clear in the tone. Amy and Rory nodded as well, it took a special kind of person to be that brave in the face of death.

Rose flushed as her friends smiled at her, her Doctor leaning over and kissing her softly on her forehead, she could hear the apologize in it. Apologizing for a lot of things probably. She didn't need or want apologizes though. She'd spoken from her heart back then and it still held true to this day. Even after being separated from her Doctor and her universe.

She wouldn't have missed it, any of it, for the world.

_**[Office]**_

**DALEK** _[OC]: Exterminate! _

_(Zap!) _

**DOCTOR**_: I killed her. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: I'm sorry. _

**DOCTOR**_: I said I'd protect her. She was only here because of me, and you're sorry? I could've killed that Dalek in it's cell, but you stopped me. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: It was the prize of my collection! _

**DOCTOR**_: Your collection? But was it worth it? Worth all those men's deaths? Worth Rose? Let me tell you something, Van Statten. Mankind goes into space to explore, to be part of something greater. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: Exactly! I wanted to touch the stars! _

**DOCTOR**_: You just want to drag the stars down and stick them underground, underneath tons of sand and dirt, and label them. You're about as far from the stars as you can get. And you took her down with you. She was nineteen years old._

"River is right, you were and still are so brave." 10 whispered loudly to Rose. Everyone watched and aww-ed silently as the two of them smiled silly at each other and reached out to grasp hands, their fingers intertwined.

River leaned over towards her husband, 11 was watching his younger self and Rose with a look of fond nostalgia.

"You are so adorable with her."

"Right now Rose had just been separated from me, I'm not even sure if she'd been to Bad Wolf Bay yet. As for me, I'm not in a good place right now mentally, not to mention he's stuck mid-regeneration."

"What?" River asked before looking closely at 10. His skin was very lightly glowing. Not enough for anyone else to take notice unless they were looking for it. She then peered closely at the other Doctors around her and noticed the same light on 12's skin.

"Oh sweetie."

"Its okay, it looks like whatever is keeping everyone in stasis is doing the same for us. Unless someone tries to speed up the process they won't regenerate right now."

_**[Level 46]**_

**ROSE**_: Go on then, kill me. Why're you doing this? _

**DALEK**_: I am armed. I will kill. It is my purpose. _

**ROSE**_: They're all dead because of you. _

**DALEK**_: They are dead because of us. _

**ROSE**_: And now what? What're you waiting for? _

**DALEK**_: I feel your fear. _

**ROSE**_: What do you expect? _

**DALEK**_: Daleks do not fear. Must not fear. _

_(The Dalek shoots at either side of the bulkhead door.) _

**DALEK**_: You gave me life. What else have you given me? I am contaminated._

_**[Office]**_

_(Adam enters.) _

**DOCTOR**_: You were quick on your feet, leaving Rose behind. _

**ADAM**_: I'm not the one who sealed the vault! _

**DALEK** _[on screen]: Open the bulkhead or Rose Tyler dies. _

**DOCTOR**_: You're alive! _

**ROSE** _[on screen]: Can't get rid of me. _

**DOCTOR**_: I thought you were dead. _

**DALEK** _[on screen]: Open the bulkhead! _

**ROSE** _[on screen]: Don't do it! _

**DALEK** _[on screen]: What use are emotions if you will not save the woman you love? _

**DOCTOR**_: I killed her once. I can't do it again. _

_(The bulkhead opens. Rose and the Dalek walk through.) _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: What do we do now, you bleeding heart. What the hell do we do? _

**ADAM**_: Kill it when it gets here. _

**GODDARD**_: All the guns are useless, and the alien weapons are in the vault. _

**ADAM**_: Only the catalogued ones._

_**[Adam's workshop]**_

**DOCTOR**_: Broken. Broken. Hairdryer. _

**ADAM**_: Mister Van Statten tends to dispose of his staff, and when he does he wipes their memory. I kept this stuff in case I needed to fight my way out one day. _

**DOCTOR**_: What, you in a fight? I'd like to see that. _

**ADAM**_: I could do. _

**DOCTOR**_: What're you going to do, throw your A-Levels at 'em? Oh, yes. Lock and load._

_**[Lift]**_

**ROSE**_: I'm begging you, don't kill them. You didn't kill me. _

**DALEK**_: But why not? Why are you alive? My function is to kill. What am I? What am I?_

"Isn't that the question we all face though?" Clara spoke, her voice carrying throughout the room.

"We all ask that question to ourselves when faced with hard decisions or uncertain times. What am I? Who am I? Why am I? I imagine you must face that question more than any of us, Doctor."

Not one Doctor responded to that, although 12 reached out and grasped her hand, holding it tightly as he smiled sadly at her in understanding.

_**[Office]**_

**ROSE**_: Don't move. Don't do anything. It's beginning to question itself. _

**DALEK**_: Van Statten. You tortured me. Why? _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: I wanted to help you. I just, I don't know. I was trying to help. I thought if we could get through to you, if we could mend you. I wanted you better. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry! I swear, I just wanted you to talk! _

_(Van Statten is backed up against the wall.) _

**DALEK**_: Then hear me talk now. Exterminate! Exterminate! Exterminate! _**ROSE**_: Don't do it! Don't kill him! You don't have to do this anymore. There must be something else, not just killing. What else is there? What do you want? _

**DALEK**_: I want freedom. _

_(The Doctor is running up the stairs with his honking big gun.)_

_**[Level 1]**_

_(The Dalek blasts a hole in the roof, and a shaft of sunlight streams down straight onto its eyepiece.) _

**ROSE**_: You're out. You made it. I never thought I'd feel the sunlight again. _

**DALEK**_: How does it feel? _

_(The Dalek opens its middle and dome sections to reveal the one-eyed mutant within. It holds out a tendril.)_

"That's different." Martha stated as they all watched the contaminated Dalek on the screen. "It truly is changing, it's not reacting like a typical Dalek."

"It's the human DNA that was introduced by Rose's hand, not to mention that it is still dying. Even with the DNA it took it's too badly damaged to fix itself. Even if it had wanted to live it wouldn't be able too."

"Kind of like that Dalek back in Manhattan?"

10 shook his head.

"No, Dalek Sec had been almost a perfect blend of Dalek and human, since it inhabited a human body with a Dalek brain. This one was just broken in more ways than one."

Clara looked over at 10 as he spoke before turning to 12.

"So is it similar to Rusty, then?"

"In a way, Rusty had something that this Dalek doesn't though."

"What's that?"

12 looked at Clara with sad eyes, as the others wondered who this Rusty or Dalek Sec was that they were talking about.

"Me. Rose gave it human emotions, fear, regret, mercy and longing. Rusty got me. It survived because of the hatred and negativity it absorbed from me."

They both ignored the others around them that were obvious eavesdropping on their conversation.

**DOCTOR**_: Get out of the way. Rose, get out of the way now! _

**ROSE**_: No. I won't let you do this. _

**DOCTOR**_: That thing killed hundreds of people. _

**ROSE**_: It's not the one pointing the gun at me. _

**DOCTOR**_: I've got to do this. I've got to end it. The Daleks destroyed my home, my people. I've got nothing left. _

**ROSE**_: Look at it. _

**DOCTOR**_: What's it doing? _

**ROSE**_: It's the sunlight, that's all it wants. _

**DOCTOR**_: But it can't _

**ROSE**_: It couldn't kill Van Statten, it couldn't kill me. It's changing. What about you, Doctor? What the hell are you changing into? _

**DOCTOR**_: I couldn't. I wasn't. Oh, Rose. They're all dead. _

**DALEK**_: Why do we survive? _

**DOCTOR**_: I don't know. _

**DALEK**_: I am the last of the Daleks. _

**DOCTOR**_: You're not even that. Rose did more than regenerate you. You've absorbed her DNA. You're mutating. _

**DALEK**_: Into what? _

**DOCTOR**_: Something new. I'm sorry. _

**ROSE**_: Isn't that better? _

**DOCTOR**_: Not for a Dalek. _

**DALEK**_: I can feel so many ideas. So much darkness. Rose, give me orders._

_Order me to die. _

**ROSE**_: I can't do that. _

**DALEK**_: This is not life. This is sickness. I shall not be like you. Order my destruction! Obey! Obey! Obey! _

**ROSE**_: Do it. _

**DALEK**_: Are you frightened, Rose Tyler? _

**ROSE**_: Yeah. _

**DALEK**_: So am I. Exterminate. _

_(The Dalek shuts its eye. Rose retreats as it closes up its armour again then rises into the air. The balls on its lower body spread out around it creating a forcefield, then it implodes safely.)_

_**[Corridor]**_

_(Van Statten is under guard, wherever they came from.) _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: What the hell are you doing? _

**GODDARD**_: Two hundred personnel dead, and all because of you, sir. Take him away, wipe his memory, and leave him by the road someplace. _

**VAN** **STATTEN**_: You can't do this to me. I am Henry van Statten! _

**GODDARD**_: And by tonight, Henry van Statten will be a homeless, brainless junkie living on the streets of San Diego, Seattle, Sacramento. Someplace beginning with S._

"Poetic." Jack's sarcastic smile and tone brought out an equally vicious smile from River. It seemed that she wouldn't be able to inject her brand of justice for her Doctor's pain after all but that was okay. He got what was coming to him in the end.

Oh well, she'd be keeping the Vortex Manipulator for herself at least. She'd already had ideas on how to fix it up and make use of it.

_**[Museum]**_

**DOCTOR**_: A little piece of home. Better than nothing. _

**ROSE**_: Is that the end of it, the Time War? _

**DOCTOR**_: I'm the only one left. I win. How about that? _

**ROSE**_: The Dalek survived. Maybe some of your people did too. _

**DOCTOR**_: I'd know. In here. (his head) Feels like there's no one. _

**ROSE**_: Well then, good thing I'm not going anywhere. _

**DOCTOR**_: Yeah. _

**ADAM**_: We'd better get out. Van Statten's disappeared. They're closing down the base. Goddard says they're going to fill it full of cement, like it never existed. _

**ROSE**_: About time. _

**ADAM**_: I'll have to go back home. _

**DOCTOR**_: Better hurry up then. Next flight to Heathrow leaves at fifteen hundred hours. _

**ROSE**_: Adam was saying that all his life he wanted to see the stars. _

**DOCTOR**_: Tell him to go and stand outside, then. _

**ROSE**_: He's all on his own, Doctor, and he did help. _

**DOCTOR**_: He left you down there. _

**ROSE**_: So did you. _

**ADAM**_: What're you talking about? We've got to leave. _

**DOCTOR**_: Plus, he's a bit pretty. _

**ROSE**_: I hadn't noticed. _

**DOCTOR**_: On your own head. _

_(The Doctor unlocks the Tardis.) _

**ADAM**_: What're you doing? She said cement. She wasn't joking. We're going to get sealed in. _

_(The Doctor and Rose go inside the Tardis.) _

**ADAM**_: Doctor? What're you doing standing inside a box? Rose? _

_(Adam creeps inside the Tardis, and it dematerialises.)_

"I hope you didn't end up keeping him." River questioned, 10 was the one who answered her this time.

"Oh no, the little idiot ended up returning home after only one adventure. He tried to exploit future knowledge for personal gain. Left him behind with a hole in his head."

Hearing the gasps of horror 10 quickly changed his next sentence, realizing what he said without context sounded pretty bad.

"We didn't kill him or anything, he did it to himself, information to the brain, a brain spike." Speaking frantically and with greater speed as the horror grew on his companions faces.

Only Rose, who knew exactly what he was talking about, was laughing. She kept her giggles as quiet as she could as she watched 10 wiggle in frantic panic.


	5. The Empty Child

_**The Empty Child**_

Everyone was quick to calm down as the next video began to play. They weren't given a break between videos this time so instead of talking everyone relaxed back in their seats and watched as Rose and the Doctor ran around the console room.

_**[Tardis]**_

_(The Tardis is in pursuit of a small spacecraft.) _

**ROSE**: _What's the emergency? _

**DOCTOR**: _It's mauve._

**ROSE**: _Mauve?_

**DOCTOR**: _The universally recognised colour for danger._

**ROSE**_: What happened to red? _

**DOCTOR**_: That's just humans. By everyone else's standards, red's camp. Oh, the misunderstandings. All those red alerts, all that dancing. It's got a very basic flight computer. I've hacked in, slaved the Tardis. Where it goes, we go. _

**ROSE**_: And that's safe, is it? _

**DOCTOR**_: Totally. _

_(Bang!) _

**DOCTOR**_: Okay, reasonably. Should have said reasonably there. No, no, no, no! It's jumping time tracks, getting away from us. _

**ROSE**_: What exactly is this thing? _

**DOCTOR**_: No idea. _

**ROSE**_: Then why are we chasing it? _

**DOCTOR**_: It's mauve and dangerous, and about thirty seconds from the centre of London._

_**[Alleyway]**_

_(The Tardis materialises in a back alley between two terraces. The sort of crowded housing that no longer exists.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Do you know how long you can knock around space without happening to bump into Earth? _

**ROSE**_: Five days? Or is that just when we're out of milk? _

**DOCTOR**_: Of all the species in all the Universe and it has to come out of a cow. _

_(Something is watching them from above.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Must have come down somewhere quite close. Within a mile, anyway. And it can't have been more than a few weeks ago. Maybe a month. _

**ROSE**_: A month? We were right behind it. _

**DOCTOR**_: It was jumping time tracks all over the place. We're bound to be a little bit out. Do you want to drive? _

**ROSE**_: Yeah. How much is a little? _

**DOCTOR**_: A bit. _

**ROSE**_: Is that exactly a bit? _

**DOCTOR**_: Ish. _

**ROSE**_: What's the plan, then? Are you going to do a scan for alien tech or something? _

**DOCTOR**_: Rose, it hit the middle of London with a very loud bang. I'm going to ask. _

_(The Doctor shows Rose his psychic paper ID for the occasion.) _

**ROSE**_: Doctor John Smith, Ministry of Asteroids. _

**DOCTOR**_: It's psychic paper. It tells you _

**ROSE**_: Whatever you want it to tell me, I remember. _

_(They come to a door marked Deliveries Only.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Sorry. _

**ROSE**_: Not very Spock, is it, just asking. _

**DOCTOR**_: Door, music, people. What do you think? _

**ROSE**_: I think you should do a scan for alien tech. Give me some Spock, for once. Would it kill you? _

"Its because he fancies himself Captain Kirk." Amy playfully whispered to her husband.

"That explains...everything actually." Rory paused dramatically in fake-shock.

They both ignored 11's disgruntled expressions and slouched, sulking figure.

10 hadn't recovered from his earlier mishap and was still wiggling in distress, so he failed to respond in kind as well.

But let it be known that he would have definitely reassured everyone that he was a Kirk and not a Spock.

_(The Doctor opens the door with the sonic screwdriver, and looks at Rose's Union Flag top.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Are you sure about that t-shirt? _

**ROSE**_: Too early to say. I'm taking it out for a spin. _

**CHILD** _[OC]: Mummy? Mummy? _

**DOCTOR**_: Come on if you're coming. It won't take a minute. _

_(The Doctor goes inside.) _

**CHILD** _[OC]: Mummy? _

_(Rose sees a little boy in a gasmask up on a nearby roof.) _

**ROSE**_: Doctor? Doctor? There's a kid up there!_

"Oh, this when we meet." Jack stated as he grinned widely at his friends.

"I should have recognized the shirt."

"Don't diss the top, mate." Rose warned as they both began to laugh.

10 was now sulking along with 11, no longer in distress about earlier as he now had something new to fret and distress about.

Namely how much Rose and Jack got on, he'd forgotten that those two got along like a house on fire while together, and now everyone else was going to see it as well as the video continued to play.

At least he'd be able to see the infamous dancing that happened between them while he'd been off chasing down Nancy.

_**[Nightclub]**_

_(The Doctor follows a waiter through a bead curtain to where a saxophonist and jazz band is accompanying a woman dressed in 1940s clothes.) _

**SINGER**_: (singing) For nobody else gave me the thrill. When I have uphold silence still, it had to be you, wonderful you_

_**[Alleyway]**_

**ROSE**_: Are you all right, up there? _

**CHILD**_: Mummy? _

_(Rose runs up a metal fire escape staircase.)_

_**[Nightclub]**_

**SINGER**_: It had to be you. _

_(The Doctor takes the woman's place at the microphone.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Excuse me. Excuse me. Could I have everybody's attention just for a mo? Be very quick. Hello! Might seem like a stupid question, but has anything fallen from the sky recently? _

_(Silence, then laughter.)_

_**[Roof]**_

_(Rose gets to a flat roof. The child is still above her.) _

**CHILD**_: Mummy? _

**ROSE**_: Okay, hang on. Don't move! _

_(Suddenly a rope dangles down in front of Rose. She takes hold of it and pulls. It seems secure.)_

_**[Nightclub]**_

**DOCTOR**_: Sorry, have I said something funny? It's just, there's this thing that I need to find. Would've fallen from the sky a couple of days ago. _

_(An air raid siren sounds. Everyone starts to leave.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Would've landed quite near here. With a very loud _

**MAN**_: Quickly as you can, down to the shelter. _

_(The Doctor spots the poster on the wall - Hitler will send no warning!) _

**DOCTOR**_: Bang._

"How is it that the more obvious things seem to just go right over your head?" Rory asked.

"I mean, I get that at times your mind is thinking thousands of different things at once but you'd think that some things would stand out."

Rose decided to answer since the Doctors were mostly still sulking and ignoring everyone else.

"When I first met the Doctor he ended up missing that the London Eye was being used as a transmitter for a plastic invasion, even when he mentioned that it was round and massive, slap bang in the middle of London. It took three different tries for his brain to catch up to his eyes."

Rory's comprehending expression seemed to be too much for 11 because he had to butt in.

"The only reason that I missed that was because my mind was thinking 12 steps ahead of yours."

11's snotty attitude got a rather harsh arm smack from Amy.

"Oi, leave my husband and your girlfriend alone, raggedy man."

11 started to choke on his spit at Amy's scolding as 10 also started to breath funny.

Rose smiled at the red-haired woman who winked back at her.

_**[Roof]**_

_(Rose is using the rope to help her climb up to the child.) _

**CHILD**_: Mummy. Balloon! _

_(The barrage balloon drifts, pulling Rose away from the wall and the child, and dangling her over the alleyway.) _

**ROSE**_: Doctor! Doctor! Doctor! _

_(Searchlights comb the sky. Explosions and fires start in various parts of London. A squadron of German planes head for her.) _

**ROSE**_: Okay, maybe not this t-shirt._

Amy snort-laughed at the comment, it was loud enough that it sent off Rory as well. They both began to giggle and mock-whispered about how that was something that their Doctor, 11 would have said at such a time.

Rose just grinned, tongue on teeth at everyone. She was proud of how she handled herself and her reaction to the uncomfortable and dangerous situation she gotten herself into.

Hanging from that rope hundreds of feet in the air, of which was in the middle of the London Blitz with the union jack on her shirt.

Thinking back now she was amazed how calm she'd been. It was only when her hands had begun to fail her that she'd become truly terrified for her life.

10 stared agasted at the screen, while he'd been complaining about runaway companions on the ground Rose had been in deadly danger high above him.

If Jack hadn't saved her he'd never have known what had happened to her. He would have either assumed she'd died in the bombs or decided to stay behind. At this point in time he'd only held a small flame of affection for Rose, just enough to feel sad about her passing for a while but nothing like he'd come to feel for her in the adventures to come.

He could have lost her so much earlier in his timestream, never knowing what she'd become to him.

_**[Alley]**_

**DOCTOR**_: Rose? _

_(A cat meows.) _

**DOCTOR**_: You know, one day, just one day, maybe, I'm going to meet someone who gets the whole don't wander off thing. Nine hundred years of phone box travel, it's the only thing left to surprise me._

"Actually Doctor it is you who usually goes wandering about." As Rory spoke all the companions, every last one, nodded in unison.

"We're always either following you or trying to figure out what you end up missing."

"I don't miss things!" 11 said, agast.

"Yea, you do." Martha said, smiling mischievously as 10 pouted in outrage, just as annoyed as his older self.

"Should we have a recap of our last conversation?" Rose teased gently.

"Other then having a time lord brain he probably believes that his enemies evil plans have deeper meaning or a secondary agenda."

The Doctors grumbled together in unison, just like their companions had all agreed together earlier.

It wasn't their fault that they always look for a deeper meaning or like Jack said, a secondary agenda. He'd just been used to a higher standard bad guy.

The memories of the Master flashing through 10's mind caused him to become gloomy again.

_(The Tardis police telephone rings. He opens the small door.) _

**DOCTOR**_: How can you be ringing? What's that about, ringing? What am I supposed to do with a ringing phone? _

_(He gets out his sonic screwdriver. A young woman has walked up the alley.) _

**NANCY**_: Don't answer it. It's not for you. _

**DOCTOR**_: And how do you know that? _

**NANCY**_: 'Cos I do. And I'm telling you, don't answer it. _

**DOCTOR**_: Well, if you know so much, tell me this. How can it be ringing? It's not even a real phone. It's not connected, it's not _

_(Nancy has gone, so he answers the phone.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Hello? Hello? This is the Doctor speaking. How may I help you? _

**CHILD** _[OC]: Mummy? Mummy? _

**DOCTOR**_: Who is this? Who's speaking? _

**CHILD** _[OC]: Are you my mummy? _

**DOCTOR**_: Who is this? _

**CHILD** _[OC]: Mummy? _

**DOCTOR**_: How did you ring here? This isn't a real phone. It's not wired up to anything. _

**CHILD** _[OC]: Mummy? _

_(The dialling tone. The Doctor knocks on the Tardis door.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Rose? Rose, are you in there? _

_(He hears a noise and runs out of the alley.)_

"Is that the same reaction you had when I phoned the Tardis?" Clara asked 11.

11 looked over and stuck out his tongue causing a chain reaction of silly faces between them. He could remember the feeling of bewilderment that had overtaken him when she'd phoned him about losing the internet.

His mind had been so confused over the situation, at least until she'd uttered those certain words to him, causing the confusion to turn into elation.

"The Tardis phone isn't real, none of you should be able to call it. Impossible girl."

Clara just smirked smugly at him.

_**[Street]**_

**MRS** **LLOYD** _[OC]: The planes are coming. Can't you hear them? Into the shelter. None of your nonsense, now move it! _

_(The Doctor climbs onto a dustbin and looks over the wall into a back garden, where a well-fed middle-aged woman is shepherding a young boy into an air raid shelter.) _

**MRS** **LLOYD**_: Come on, hurry up, get in there. Come on. Arthur! Arthur, Will you hurry up? Didn't you hear the siren? _

_(Her equally well-fed husband comes out of the house.) _

**LLOYD**_: Middle of dinner, every night. Blooming Germans. Don't you eat? _

**MRS** **LLOYD**_: I can hear the planes! _

**LLOYD**_: Don't you eat? _

**MRS** **LLOYD**_: Oh, keep your voice down, will you? It's an air raid! Get in. Look, there's a war on. _

**LLOYD**_: I know there's a war on. Don't push me. _

_(With the family safely in the shelter, the Doctor watches Nancy enter the garden and go into the house. Once in the kitchen, she starts taking tinned goods from a cupboard. _

_Meanwhile, dangling over the Thames near St Paul's, Rose has an excellent view of a typical night raid during the Blitz.)_

_**[Officer's mess]**_

_(An officer in a great coat stands on a balcony using a pair of very non-WW2 binoculars. He spots Rose in her predicament.) _

**OFFICER**_: Get those lights out, please. Everyone down to the shelter. _

**ALGY**_: Jack? Are you going down to the shelter? Only I've got to go off on some silly guard duty. Ah, barrage balloon, eh? Must've come loose. Happens now and then. Don't you RAF boys use them for target practice? _

_(Jack zooms in on Rose's derriere and speaks with an American accent.) _

**JACK**_: Excellent bottom. _

**ALGY**_: I say, old man, there's a time and a place. Look, you should really be off. _

**JACK**_: Sorry, old man. I've got to go meet a girl. But you've got an excellent bottom too._

Rose smacked Jack upside the head, her frown echoed across the face of all the other female companions in the room.

"Ow, why? It was a compliment." Jack whined as the others laughed at him.

_**[The Lloyd's dining room]**_

_(Nancy finishes filling her little sack with provisions and heads for the front door. In the hallway she stops and looks into another room and smiles, then goes outside into the street, where she whistles twice then goes back inside. A pair of urchins run in to see the feast she's discovered.) _

**NANCY**_: Many kids out there? _

**JIM**_: Yes, miss. _

_(Jim and his friend dive for the food.) _

**NANCY**_: Ah! Still carving. Sit and wait. We've got the whole air raid. _

**JIM**_: Look at that. Bet it's off the black market. _

**NANCY**_: That's enough._

_**[Mid-air]**_

_(High over Westminster, Rose finally loses her grip on the thick rope. Screaming, she falls, and is caught in a beam.) _

**JACK** _[OC]: Okay, okay, I've got you. _

**ROSE**_: Who's got me? Who's got me, and you know, how? _

**JACK** _[OC]: I'm just programming your descent pattern. Keep as still as you can and keep your hands and feet inside the light field. _

**ROSE**_: Descent pattern? _

**JACK** _[OC]: Oh, and could you switch off your cell phone? No, seriously, it interferes with my instrument. _

**ROSE**_: You know, no one ever believes that. _

_(Rose turns off her phone.) _

**JACK** _[OC]: Thank you. That's much better. _

**ROSE**_: Oh, yeah, that's a real load off, that is. I'm hanging in the sky in the middle of a German air raid with the Union Jack across my chest, but hey, my mobile phone's off. _

**JACK** _[OC]: Be with you in a moment._

"Thank you, Jack." 10 whispered to his old companion. Jack smiled understandingly to him, they both cared greatly for Rose, and Jack knew how much she meant to the Doctor.

_**[Jack's spaceship]**_

**COMPUTER**_: The mobile communication device indicates non-contemporaneous life form. _

**JACK**_: She's not from around here, no. Ready for you?_

_**[Mid-air]**_

**JACK** _[OC]: Hold tight! _

**ROSE**_: To what? _

**JACK**_: Fair point._

_**[Jack's spaceship]**_

_(Rose hurtles down the light field into Jack's arms.) _

**JACK**_: I've got you. You're fine, you're just fine. The tractor beam, it can scramble your head just a little. _

**ROSE**_: Hello. _

**JACK**_: Hello. _

**ROSE**_: Hello. Sorry, that was hello twice there. Dull, but you know, thorough. _

**JACK**_: Are you all right? _

**ROSE**_: Fine. _

_(Jack puts Rose down.) _

**ROSE**_: Why, are you expecting me to faint or something? _

**JACK**_: You look a little dizzy. _

**ROSE**_: What about you? You're not even in focus. _

_(Rose faints into his arms and he puts her on a nearby bunk.)_

_**[The Lloyd's dining room]**_

_(Something watches two more small boys run down the street to join the feast.) _

**ERNIE**_: It's got to be black market. You couldn't get all this on coupons. _

**NANCY**_: Ernie, how many times? We are guests in this house. We will not make comments of that kind. Washing up. _

_(The children laugh.) _

**ERNIE**_: Oh, Nancy. _

**NANCY**_: Haven't seen you at one of these before. _

**BOY**_: He told me about it. _

**NANCY**_: Sleeping rough? _

**BOY**_: Yes, miss. _

**NANCY**_: All right, then. One slice each, and I want to see everyone chewing properly. _

_(A plate of slices of meat is handed round.) _

**JIM**_: Thank you, miss. _

**ERNIE**_: Thanks, miss. _

**BOY**_: Thank you miss. _

**DOCTOR**_: Thanks, miss! _

_(The children panic.) _

**NANCY**_: It's all right. Everybody stay where you are! _

**DOCTOR**_: Good here, innit? Who's got the salt? _

**NANCY**_: Back in your seats. He shouldn't be here either. _

**DOCTOR**_: So, you lot, what's the story? _

**ERNIE**_: What do you mean? _

**DOCTOR**_: You're homeless, right? Living rough? _

**JIM**_: Why do you want to know that? Are you a copper? _

**DOCTOR**_: Of course I'm not a copper. What's a copper going to do with you lot anyway? Arrest you for starving? I make it 1941. You lot shouldn't even be in London. You should've been evacuated to the country by now. _

**ALF**_: I was evacuated. Sent me to a farm. _

**DOCTOR**_: So why'd you come back? _

**ALF**_: There was a man there _

**JIM**_: Yeah, same with Ernie. Two homes ago. _

**ERNIE**_: Shut up. It's better on the streets anyway. It's better food. _

**JIM**_: Yeah. Nancy always gets the best food for us. _

**DOCTOR**_: So, that's what you do, is it, Nancy? _

**NANCY**_: What is? _

**DOCTOR**_: As soon as the sirens go, you find a big fat family meal still warm on the table with everyone down in the air raid shelter and bingo! Feeding frenzy for the homeless kids of London Town. Puddings for all, as long as the bombs don't get you. _

**NANCY**_: Something wrong with that? _

**DOCTOR**_: Wrong with it? It's brilliant. I'm not sure if it's Marxism in action or a West End musical. _

**NANCY**_: Why'd you follow me? What do you want? _

**DOCTOR**_: I want to know how a phone that isn't a phone gets a phone call. You seem to be the one to ask. _

**NANCY**_: I did you a favour. I told you not to answer it, that's all I'm telling you. _

**DOCTOR**_: Great, thanks. And I want to find a blonde in a Union Jack. I mean a specific one. I didn't just wake up this morning with a craving. Anybody seen a girl like that? _

"Oh my god, your so awkward." Bill giggled loudly.

13 giggled alongside her as all the other Doctors threw them dirty looks.

"Well I don't know about cravings but he's certainly developing an interest."

"Oh ha ha." 11 snarked sarcastically.

"I thought you said you never had a craving before?" Amy asked, teasingly.

"When did I say that?" 11 asked, confused at the continued conversation.

"When you crashed your Tardis on my shed, you had an apple craving and said you'd never had one of those before."

"Ah right…"

"You don't remember do you."

"Maybe, I don't know. Busy day that."

_(Nancy takes the Doctor's plate away.) _

**DOCTOR**_: What have I done wrong? _

**NANCY**_: You took two slices. No blondes, no flags. Anything else before you leave? _

**DOCTOR**_: Yeah, there is actually. Thanks for asking. Something I've been looking for. Would've fallen from the sky about a month ago, but not a bomb. Not the usual kind, anyway. Wouldn't have exploded. Probably would have just buried itself in the ground somewhere, and it would have looked something like this. _

_(The Doctor holds up a rough sketch of the craft the Tardis was following. Basically, a tube. A knock on the door makes everyone jump.) _

**CHILD** _[OC]: Mummy? Are you in there, mummy? _

_(The Doctor looks out of the window. It's the boy in the gas mask.) _

**CHILD** _[OC]: Mummy? _

**NANCY**_: Who was the last one in? _

**ERNIE**_: Him. _

**NANCY**_: No, he came round the back. Who came in the front? _

**ALF**_: Me. _

**NANCY**_: Did you close the door? _

**ALF**_: Er _

**NANCY**_: Did you close the door? _

**CHILD** _[OC]: Mummy? Mummy? Mummy?_

"Okay, is anyone else getting horror film vibes or is it just me?" Ryan asked while reaching out to grip on Yaz's arm, as if for comfort.

Yaz and Graham tried to smooth him while Rose and Jack shared a look of remembrance, that day had felt like a horror film, especially when they'd been trapped in the hospital.

_**[The Lloyd's hallway]**_

_(Nancy runs into the hallway and bolts the front door.) _

**DOCTOR**_: What's this, then? It's never easy being the only child left out in the cold, you know. _

**NANCY**_: I suppose you'd know. _

**DOCTOR**_: I do actually, yes. _

Clara thought back to that little boy in the barn, the one she'd meet all those years ago. The little boy who would grow up one day to become The Doctor that they all knew and loved.

He'd been so scared and sad, crying into his pillow that night, and probably a few nights before and after that. Afraid of so many things, and that one fear that all small children had.

The childhood fear of being afraid of what lived under your bed, in the dark. The thing that came to get you when you were all alone and so, so afraid.

Clutching her hand to her chest she mourned that she couldn't feel her heart, it was hard to break when it was already broken.

Even so, she couldn't help the feeling of sympathy and sorrow for the troubles and trials the Doctor had had to go through when he'd been no older than a child.

It seemed that trouble was the one constant companion of the Doctor, always following after him like a shadow.

**NANCY**_: It's not exactly a child. _

**CHILD** _[OC]: Mummy?_

_**[The Lloyd's dining room]**_

**NANCY**_: Right, everybody out. Across the back garden and under the fence. Now! Go! Move! _

_(The children grab their coats and flee. Nancy speaks to the sole remaining little girl, who can't be more than four.) _

**NANCY**_: Come on, baby, we've got to go, all right? It's just like a game. Just like chasing. Take your coat, go on. Go!_

_**[The Lloyd's hallway]**_

**CHILD** _[OC]: Mummy? Mummy? Please let me in, mummy. Please let me in, mummy. _

_(A little hand comes through the letter box.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Are you all right? _

**CHILD** _[OC]: Please let me in. _

_(Nancy throws something that breaks, and the hand withdraws.) _

**NANCY**_: You mustn't let him touch you! _

**DOCTOR**_: What happens if he touches me? _

**NANCY**_: He'll make you like him. _

**DOCTOR**_: And what's he like? _

**NANCY**_: I've got to go. _

**DOCTOR**_: Nancy, what's he like? _

**NANCY**_: He's empty. _

_(The telephone rings.) _

**NANCY**_: It's him. He can make phones ring. He can. Just like with that police box you saw. _

_(The Doctor picks up the phone.) _

**CHILD** _[OC]: Are you my mummy? _

_(Nancy puts the phone back on the hook. The radio starts up in the dining room.)_

_**[The Lloyd's dining room]**_

**CHILD** _[OC]: Mummy? Please let me in, mummy. _

_(Then a clockwork monkey starts up.) _

**MONKEY**_: Mummy, mummy, mummy. _

**NANCY**_: You stay if you want to._

_**[The Lloyd's hallway]**_

_(Nancy leaves by the back door. The boy puts his hand through the letterbox again. There is a scar on the back of it.) _

**CHILD** _[OC]: Mummy? Let me in please, mummy. Please let me in. _

**DOCTOR**_: Your mummy isn't here. _

**CHILD** _[OC]: Are you my mummy? _

**DOCTOR**_: No mummies here. Nobody here but us chickens. Well, this chicken. _

**CHILD** _[OC]: I'm scared. _

**DOCTOR**_: Why are those other children frightened of you? _

**CHILD** _[OC]: Please let me in, mummy. I'm scared of the bombs. _

**DOCTOR**_: Okay. I'm opening the door now. _

_(The boy pulls back his hand and the Doctor unbolts the front door. When he opens it, the boy has gone and the street is deserted.)_

"Yea, this is definitely a horror film." Ryan said firmly before turning his attention elsewhere. The Doc's adventures were awesome to watch and even more to actually go on, but he'd never been a fan of horror movies. It was different if you were already apart of the adventure and you had adrenaline, the Doctor, and Yaz and Grandad alongside.

But on screen?

No, nope, not going there.

He saw the other man, the one married to the spunky red-head, Amy and Rory? Give him a nod of understanding before he whispered something in his wife's ear before getting up and coming over to Ryan's couch.

"Hey mate? I'm not much of a fan of horror either, especially creepy children. Want to join me over there?" Rory pointed to the back of his couch, where Amy had already placed several couch cushions on the ground for them.

Ryan felt his Grandad give his shoulder a firm squeeze of encouragement as he smiled and agreed. Making new friends sounded pretty good to him.

Everyone watched out of the corner of their eyes with small barely seen there smiles on their faces as Ryan and Rory sat down next to each other with their backs facing the screen and began to talk about mundane things, just causal getting to know one another questions and talk.

11 smiled wider than most, as he kept his eyes glued to the screen.

He loved his best friends.

_**[Jack's spaceship]**_

**JACK**_: Better now? _

**ROSE**_: You got lights in here? _

_(Jack turns on the lights. It's a small, cramped, spaceship with bundles of wires hanging from the ceiling.) _

**JACK**_: Hello. _

**ROSE**_: Hello. _

**JACK**_: Hello. _

**ROSE**_: Let's not start that again. _

**JACK**_: Okay. _

**ROSE**_: So, who're you supposed to be, then? _

**JACK**_: Captain Jack Harkness, One Three Three Squadron, Royal Air Force. American volunteer. _

_(He hands her his ID card.) _

**ROSE**_: Liar. This is psychic paper. It tells me whatever you want it to tell me. _

**JACK**_: How do you know? _

**ROSE**_: Two things. One, I have a friend who uses this all the time. _

**JACK**_: Ah. _

**ROSE**_: And two, you just handed me a piece of paper telling me you're single and you work out. _

**JACK**_: Tricky thing, psychic paper. _

**ROSE**_: Yeah. Can't let your mind wander when you're handing it over. _

_(She gives it back.) _

**JACK**_: Oh, you sort of have a boyfriend called Mickey Smith but you consider yourself to be footloose and fancy free. _

**ROSE**_: What? _

**JACK**_: Actually, the word you use is available. _

**ROSE**_: No way. _

**JACK**_: And another one, very. _

**ROSE**_: Shall we try and get along without the psychic paper? _

**JACK**_: That would be better, wouldn't it? _

**ROSE**_: Nice spaceship. _

**JACK**_: Gets me around. _

**ROSE**_: Very Spock. _

**JACK**_: Who? _

**ROSE**_: Guessing you're not a local boy, then. _

**JACK**_: A cell phone, a liquid crystal watch, and fabrics that won't be around for at least another two decades. Guessing you're not a local girl. _

**ROSE**_: Guessing right. _

**JACK**_: Burn your hands on the rope? _

_(A bomb whistles past.) _

**ROSE**_: Yeah. We're parked in midair! Can't anyone down there see us? _

**JACK**_: No. Can I have a look at your hands for a moment? _

**ROSE**_: Why? _

**JACK**_: Please? You can stop acting now. I know exactly who you are. I can spot a Time Agent a mile away. _

**ROSE**_: Time Agent? _

**JACK**_: I've been expecting one of you guys to show up. Though not, I must say, by barrage balloon. Do you often travel that way? _

**ROSE**_: Sometimes I get swept off my feet. By balloons. What are you doing? _

_(Jack wraps his scarf around her wrists.) _

**JACK**_: Try to keep still. _

_(He presses a button. A glowing bundle zooms into Rose's burnt palms) _

**JACK**_: Nanogenes. Sub-atomic robots. The air in here is full of them. They just repaired three layers of your skin. _

_(The glow dissipates and he unties her wrists.) _

**ROSE**_: Well, tell them thanks. _

**JACK**_: Shall we get down to business? _

**ROSE**_: Business? _

**JACK**_: Shall we have a drink on the balcony? Bring up the glasses. _

_(Jack opens a hatch to the top of his spaceship.)_

River whistled in admiration, the good Captain was very slick with his cons, not wavering in the slightest.

She wouldn't mind having him alongside one of her marriage cons. It might add some spice back in an otherwise boring job.

Well...she'd been bored once upon a time, then of course her husband had to appear out of nowhere with a face she'd never seen before.

Once she realized who she'd been running along with, she appreciated and come to love that face very dearly.

_**[On Jack's spaceship]**_

_(The fires of London are burning below, and searchlights pass through where the spaceship is.) _

**ROSE**_: I know I'm standing on something. _

_(Jack uses a remote control and the ship appears.) _

**ROSE**_: Okay, you have an invisible spaceship. _

**JACK**_: Yeah. _

**ROSE**_: Tethered up to Big Ben for some reason. _

**JACK**_: First rule of active camouflage. Park somewhere you'll remember. _

_(Jack opens the bottle of champagne and fills the glasses Rose brought with her._

_**[Nancy's hide-out]**_

_(Nancy goes to a shack in some railway sidings and hides the food she took from the Lloyd's kitchen. She stands up to see the Doctor, smiling.) _

**NANCY**_: How'd you follow me here? _

**DOCTOR**_: I'm good at following, me. Got the nose for it. _

**NANCY**_: People can't usually follow me if I don't want them to. _

**DOCTOR**_: My nose has special powers. _

**NANCY**_: Yeah? That's why it's _

**DOCTOR**_: What? _

**NANCY**_: Nothing. _

**DOCTOR**_: What? _

**NANCY**_: Nothing. Do your ears have special powers too? _

"That incarnation's face wasn't that bad, was it?" 10 asked Rose.

"No, he was prefect as himself, just as you are perfect as yourself." Rose made a face.

"I'm sure I just messed that up."

"No I get it. Thanks." 10 reassured her as he grinned.

**DOCTOR**_: What are you trying to say? _

**NANCY**_: Goodnight, Mister. _

**DOCTOR**_: Nancy, there's something chasing you and the other kids. Looks like a boy and it isn't a boy, and it started about a month ago, right? The thing I'm looking for, the thing that fell from the sky, that's when it landed. And you know what I'm talking about, don't you? _

**NANCY**_: There was a bomb. A bomb that wasn't a bomb. Fell the other end of Limehouse Green Station. _

**DOCTOR**_: Take me there. _

**NANCY**_: There's soldiers guarding it. Barbed wire. You'll never get through. _

**DOCTOR**_: Try me. _

**NANCY**_: You sure you want to know what's going on in there? _

**DOCTOR**_: I really want to know. _

**NANCY**_: Then there's someone you need to talk to first. _

**DOCTOR**_: And who might that be? _

**NANCY**_: The Doctor._

A spattering of laughter echoed in the room.

"Wait a minute, he doesn't mean what I think he means right?" Yaz asked, "It's not like you can be in the same place as a future or past you."

All the Doctors looked at her with amused expressions, it took Yaz a second for her brain to follow her mouth.

"I meant not normally! I think this must be something that's new for you."

The increasing amused expressions on the Doctors faces told her a whole another story altogether though.

_**[On Jack's spaceship]**_

**ROSE**_: You know, it's getting a bit late. I should really be getting back. _

**JACK**_: We're discussing business. _

**ROSE**_: This isn't business. This is champagne. _

**JACK**_: I try never to discuss business with a clear head. Are you travelling alone? Are you authorised to negotiate with me? _

**ROSE**_: What would we be negotiating? _

**JACK**_: I have something for the Time Agency. Something they'd like to buy. Are you in power to make payment? _

**ROSE**_: Well, I, I should talk to my companion. _

**JACK**_: Companion? _

**ROSE**_: I should really be getting back to him. _

**JACK**_: Him? _

**ROSE**_: Do you have the time? _

_(Jack uses his remote. The clock face lights up and Big Ben strikes nine thirty.) _

"That wasn't the smartest thing to do in a time of air raids and bombs." Martha commented while Jack cringe in embarrassment. He hadn't thought of that at the time. He'd been immersed in his ploy to seduce and con Rose into buying his goods and then running before they found out what he sold them.

Not his finest hour he'd admit.

**ROSE**_: Okay, that was flash. That was on the flash side. _

**JACK**_: So when you say your companion, just how disappointed should I be? _

**ROSE**_: Okay, we're standing in midair. _

**JACK**_: Mmm-hmm. _

**ROSE**_: On a spaceship, during a German air raid. Do you really think now's a good time to be coming on to me ? _

**JACK**_: Perhaps not. _

**ROSE**_: It was just a suggestion. _

**JACK**_: Do you like Glenn Miller? _

_(The magic remote again. Moonlight Serenade plays. Jack takes Rose in his arms and they dance.) _

10 slowly turned his head and stared at Jack, who began to sweat nervously at his unblinking gaze.

Rose sat snuggly between them, completely oblivious to what was happening over her head.

**JACK**_: It's 1941, the height of the London Blitz, the height of the German bombing campaign, and something else has fallen on London. A fully equipped Chula warship. The last one in existence, armed to the teeth. And I know where it is, because I parked it. If the Agency can name the right price, I can get it for you. But in two hours, a German bomb is going to fall on it and destroy it forever. That's your deadline. That's the deal. Now, shall we discuss payment? _

**ROSE**_: Do you know what I think? _

**JACK**_: What? _

**ROSE**_: I think you were talking just then. _

**JACK**_: Two hours, the bomb falls. There'll be nothing left but dust and a crater. _

**ROSE**_: Promises, promises. _

**JACK**_: Are you listening to any of this? _

**ROSE**_: You used to be a Time Agent, now you're some kind of freelancer. _

**JACK**_: Well, that's a little harsh. I like to think of myself as a criminal. _

**ROSE**_: I bet you do. _

**JACK**_: So, this companion of yours, does he handle the business? _

**ROSE**_: Well, I delegate a lot of that, yeah. _

**JACK**_: Well, maybe we should go find him. _

**ROSE**_: And how're you going to do that? _

**JACK**_: Easy. I'll do a scan for alien tech. _

**ROSE**_: Finally, a professional._

"Oi!" 10 whined, breaking his staring match with Jack, who breathed easier once the Doctor had something else to focus on.

"I'm a professional too!"

"A professional smart-arse."

Donna sassed as Rose and Jack began to laugh at their Doctor's pouting face.

"Why are you always picking on me?" 10 asked Donna.

"Because you make it easy, space-boy."

_**[Limehouse Green]**_

_(The Doctor uses super-binoculars to scan the area.) _

**NANCY**_: The bomb's under that tarpaulin. They put the fence up over night. See that building? The hospital. _

**DOCTOR**_: What about it? _

_**NANCY**__: That's where the doctor is. You should talk to him. _

**DOCTOR**_: For now, I'm more interested in getting in there. _

**NANCY**_: Talk to the doctor first. _

**DOCTOR**_: Why? _

**NANCY**_: Because then maybe you won't want to get inside. _

**DOCTOR**_: Where're you going? _

**NANCY**_: There was a lot of food in that house. I've got mouths to feed. Should be safe enough now. _

**DOCTOR**_: Can I ask you a question? Who did you lose? _

**NANCY**_: What? _

**DOCTOR**_: The way you look after all those kids. It's because you lost somebody, isn't it? You're doing all this to make up for it. _

**NANCY**_: My little brother. Jamie. One night I went out looking for food. Same night that thing fell. I told him not to follow me, I told him it was dangerous, but he just. He just didn't like being on his own. _

**DOCTOR**_: What happened? _

**NANCY**_: In the middle of an air raid? What do you think happened? _

**DOCTOR**_: Amazing. _

**NANCY**_: What is? _

**DOCTOR**_: 1941. Right now, not very far from here, the German war machine is rolling up the map of Europe. Country after country, falling like dominoes. Nothing can stop it. Nothing. Until one, tiny, damp little island says no. No. Not here. A mouse in front of a lion. You're amazing, the lot of you. Don't know what you do to Hitler, but you frighten the hell out of me. Off you go then do what you've got to do. Save the world. _

_(Something watches Nancy walk away.)_

_**[Albion Hospital ward]**_

_(The Doctor uses his sonic screwdriver to open the padlock on the ornate metal gates to the hospital grounds. Inside the long, dark wards, every bed has a very still patient in it, and they are all wearing gasmasks. An elderly, grumpy doctor appears, leaning on a walking stick.) _

**CONSTANTINE**_: You'll find them everywhere. In every bed, in every ward. Hundreds of them. _

**DOCTOR**_: Yes, I saw. Why are they still wearing gas masks? _

**CONSTANTINE**_: They're not. Who are you? _

**DOCTOR**_: I'm, er. Are you the doctor? _

**CONSTANTINE**_: Doctor Constantine. And you are? _

**DOCTOR**_: Nancy sent me. _

**CONSTANTINE**_: Nancy? That means you must've been asking about the bomb. _

**DOCTOR**_: Yes. _

**CONSTANTINE**_: What do you know about it? _

**DOCTOR**_: Nothing. Why I was asking. What do you know? _

**CONSTANTINE**_: Only what it's done. _

**DOCTOR**_: These people, they were all caught up in the blast? _

**CONSTANTINE**_: None of them were. _

_(The doctor chuckles then coughs. He sits in a chair by the desk where the ward sister would usually be.) _

**DOCTOR**_: You're very sick. _

**CONSTANTINE**_: Dying, I should think. I just haven't been able to find the time. Are you a doctor? _

**DOCTOR**_: I have my moments. _

**CONSTANTINE**_: Have you examined any of them yet? _

**DOCTOR**_: No. _

**CONSTANTINE**_: Don't touch the flesh. _

**DOCTOR**_: Which one? _

**CONSTANTINE**_: Any one. _

_(The Doctor points his sonic screwdriver at the nearest patient.) _

**CONSTANTINE**_: Conclusions? _

**DOCTOR**_: Massive head trauma, mostly to the left side. Partial collapse of the chest cavity, mostly to the right. There's some scarring on the back of the hand and the gas mask seems to be fused to the flesh, but I can't see any burns. _

**CONSTANTINE**_: Examine another one. _

**DOCTOR**_: This isn't possible. _

**CONSTANTINE**_: Examine another. _

**DOCTOR**_: This isn't possible. _

**CONSTANTINE**_: No. _

**DOCTOR**_: They've all got the same injuries. _

**CONSTANTINE**_: Yes. _

**DOCTOR**_: Exactly the same. _

**CONSTANTINE**_: Yes. _

**DOCTOR**_: Identical, all of them, right down to the scar on the back of the hand. _

_(Doctor Constantine also has that scar.) _

**DOCTOR**_: How did this happen? How did it start? _

**CONSTANTINE**_: When that bomb dropped, there was just one victim. _

**DOCTOR**_: Dead? _

**CONSTANTINE**_: At first. His injuries were truly dreadful. By the following morning, every doctor and nurse who had treated him, who had touched him, had those exact same injuries. By the morning after that, every patient in the same ward, the exact same injuries. Within a week, the entire hospital. Physical injuries as plague. Can you explain that? What would you say was the cause of death? _

**DOCTOR**_: The head trauma. _

**CONSTANTINE**_: No. _

**DOCTOR**_: Asphyxiation. _

**CONSTANTINE**_: No. _

**DOCTOR**_: The collapse of the chest cavity _

**CONSTANTINE**_: No. _

**DOCTOR**_: All right. What was the cause of death? _

**CONSTANTINE**_: There wasn't one. They're not dead. _

_(He hits a waste basket with his stick and the noise makes the patients sit up in their beds.) _

**CONSTANTINE**_: It's all right. They're harmless. They just sort of sit there. No heartbeat, no life signs of any kind. They just don't die. _

**DOCTOR**_: And they've just been left here? Nobody's doing anything? _

_(The patients lie down again.) _

**CONSTANTINE**_: I try and make them comfortable. What else is there? _

**DOCTOR**_: Just you? You're the only one here? _

**CONSTANTINE**_: Before this war began, I was a father and a grandfather. Now I am neither. But I'm still a doctor. _

**DOCTOR**_: Yeah. I know the feeling. _

"Oh sweetie." River leaned over and kissed softly behind 11's ear, as that comment seemed to go over most of the other companions' heads.

She knew some of the Doctor's past, more than most of his companions that hadn't lived through it. She knew about Susan and the Doctor's other children and grandchildren. Not to mention his friends and other family members. All forever lost to him. Most of them already long dead even before the Time War. Small blessing, that.

The Doctor hadn't needed that added to his internal list of sins.

**CONSTANTINE**_: I suspect the plan is to blow up the hospital and blame it on a German bomb. _

**DOCTOR**_: Probably too late. _

**CONSTANTINE**_: No. There are isolated cases. Isolated cases breaking out all over London. Stay back, stay back. Listen to me. Top floor. Room eight oh two. That's where they took the first victim, the one from the crash site. And you must find Nancy again. _

**DOCTOR**_: Nancy? _

**CONSTANTINE**_: It was her brother. She knows more than she's saying. She won't tell me, but she might Mummy. Are you my mummy? _

_(Starting with the mouth, Doctor Contantine's face turns into a gasmask.) _

**JACK** _[OC]: Hello? _

**ROSE** _[OC]: Hello? _

**JACK** _[OC]: Hello?_

_**[Albion Hospital corridor]**_

**JACK**_: Good evening. Hope we're not interrupting. Jack Harkness. I've been hearing all about you on the way over. _

**ROSE**_: He knows. I had to tell him about us being Time Agents. _

**JACK**_: And it's a real pleasure to meet you, Mister Spock. _

_(Jack walks forward to the ward.) _

**DOCTOR**_: Mister Spock? _

**ROSE**_: What was I supposed to say? You don't have a name. Don't you ever get tired of Doctor? Doctor who? _

"Let's not go through that again." Clara said, aggravated.

11 and 12 winced in unison. Clara's temper could still instill fear in him. Or at least a healthy amount of caution.

"Sorry Clara. We'll probably be watching it at some point. Even I will admit that time of my life changed me." 12 spoke, apologetic.

**DOCTOR**_: Nine centuries in, I'm coping. Where've you been? We're in the middle of a London Blitz. It's not a good time for a stroll. _

**ROSE**_: Who's strolling? I went by barrage balloon. Only way to see an air raid. _

**DOCTOR**_: What?! _

**ROSE**_: Listen, what's a Chula warship? _

**DOCTOR**_: Chula?_

"I remember now how my hearts skipped a beat when you said that." 10 spoke to Rose.

"What? Asking about the Chula warship?"

"No, saying you went by barrage balloon and then talking about air raids. High-risk companion, you are."

"I think you mean, the best kind of companion."

_**[The Lloyds dining room]**_

_(Nancy returns for the remains of the meal. The radio switches on.) _

**CHILD** _[OC]: Please, mummy. Please let me in. I'm scared of the bombs, mummy. Please, mummy. _

_(The front door slams.) _

**CHILD**_: Mummy. Mummy. _

_(Nancy hides under the table as the child walks along the hallway.)_

_**[Albion Hospital ward]**_

_(Jack is using a wrist tricorder thing to examine the patients.) _

**JACK**_: This just isn't possible. How did this happen? _

**DOCTOR**_: What kind of Chula ship landed here? _

**JACK**_: What? _

**ROSE**_: He said it was a warship. He stole it, parked it somewhere out there, somewhere a bomb's going to fall on it unless we make him an offer. _

**DOCTOR**_: What kind of warship? _

**JACK**_: Does it matter? It's got nothing to do with this. _

**DOCTOR**_: This started at the bomb site. It's got everything to do with it. What kind of warship? _

**JACK**_: An ambulance! Look. _

_(Jack produces a hologram of it from his wrist device.) _

**JACK**_: That's what you chased through the Time Vortex. It's space junk. I wanted to kid you it was valuable. It's empty. I made sure of it. Nothing but a shell. I threw it at you. Saw your time travel vehicle, love the retro look, by the way, nice panels. Threw you the bait _

**ROSE**_: Bait? _

**JACK**_: I wanted to sell it to you and then destroy it before you found out it was junk. _

**ROSE**_: You said it was a war ship. _

**JACK**_: They have ambulances in wars. It was a con. I was conning you. That's what I am, I'm a con man. I thought you were Time Agents. You're not, are you. _

**ROSE**_: Just a couple more freelancers. _

**JACK**_: Oh. Should have known. The way you guys are blending in with the local colour. I mean, Flag Girl was bad enough, but U-Boat Captain? Anyway, whatever's happening here has got nothing to do with that ship. _

**ROSE**_: What is happening here, Doctor? _

**DOCTOR**_: Human DNA is being rewritten by an idiot. _

**ROSE**_: What do you mean? _

**DOCTOR**_: I don't know. Some kind of virus converting human beings into these things. But why? What's the point?_

_**[The Lloyds dining room]**_

**CHILD**_: Mummy? Where's my mummy? Mummy? _

_(An apple falls onto the floor. The child bends to pick it up. Nancy tries to run for the door but the child points and it slams shut.) _

**CHILD**_: Are you my mummy?_

_**[Albion Hospital ward]**_

_(The patients suddenly sit up.) _

**PATIENTS**_: Mummy. Mummy. Mummy? Mummy? _

**ROSE**_: What's happening? _

**DOCTOR**_: I don't know. _

_(The patients and Doctor Constantine all stand up.)_

_**[The Lloyds dining room]**_

**CHILD**_: Mummy? _

**NANCY**_: It's me. Nancy!_

_**[Albion Hospital ward]**_

**PATIENTS**_: Mummy. _

**DOCTOR**_: Don't let them touch you. _

**ROSE**_: What happens if they touch us? _

**DOCTOR**_: You're looking at it._

_**[The Lloyd's dining room]**_

**CHILD**_: Are you my mummy? _

**NANCY**_: It's Nancy, your sister._

_**[Albion Hospital ward]**_

_(The patients close in on the Doctor, Rose and Jack.) _

**PATIENTS**_: Help me, mummy._

_**[The Lloyd's dining room]**_

**NANCY**_: You're dead, Jamie. You're dead! _

**CHILD**_: Mummy. Mummy._

_**[Albion Hospital ward]**_

**PATIENTS**_: Mummy. Mummy. Mummy. Mummy. Mummy. Mummy._

Silence fills the room after the screen bleeds to black.

"Okay, I'm just going to say it. What the fuck-?" Nardole spoke up first as everyone else was too busy staring at Rose and Jack with worried eyes.

"Keep the potty mouth shut, if you have nothing positive to contribute." 12 scolded as the screen turned back on.

Nordole sent him a dirty look while mumbling under his breath about how him talking about positivity was a new concept and maybe he should police himself before others.

12 ignored his disgruntled companion as he waited to see what would happen next.

Hopefully they'd be watching the rest of the adventure, he'd rather not explain to everyone what had happened, not because things ended on a bad note. No, things had ended on a happy note that day, a rare day for the Doctor.

It was just tiring after all.

12 looked down at his hands and saw the light of regeneration energy coating his hands for a moment before dispersing.

Yes, today was quite tiring.


End file.
